In the nucleus of the nondividing cell is a tangle
of very fine threads that absorb stain quite readily. In the granular stage
these threads are known as chromatin. The chromatin threads come together,
shorten and thicken forming chromosomes that can be seen quite prominently in
the dividing cell.
Chromosome Numbers of Some
Common Species
Organism Haploid No. Diploid No.
mosquito
3
6
fruit fly
4 8
gall midge
20* 8*
evening primrose
7 14
onion
8 16
corn
10 20
grasshopper (female) 11
22
grasshopper (male) 10
21**
frog
13 26
sunflower
17 34
cat
23 38
human
23 46
plum
24 48
dog
39 78
sugar cane 40
80
goldfish
47 94
* In the fertilized egg of the gall midge, 32
chromosomes become nonfunctional leaving 8 functional chromosomes.
** The male grasshopper has only one sex
chromosome.
