EN
A population of R. quelen from the first plateau of the Iguacu River (Parana State, Brazil) was analyzed cytogenetically. A diploid set of 58 chromosomes was constituted by 32 M, 16 SM, 6 ST and 4 A (FN=116). In one individual a 2n=59 karyotype was determined due to the presence of one additional metacentric heterochromatic chromosome. NORs, detected by AgNO3 and CMA3 staining as well as fluorescence in situ hybridization with an 18S rDNA probe, are located at a terminal position on the short arms of a ST chromosome pair. C-banding marks the NORs and other weak bands distributed on telomeric regions of some chromosomes. These results give evidence that Rhamdia constitute, in terms of karyotypic macrostructure, a conserved group and support the idea that several synonymous species may be included in this genus.