List of organisms by chromosome count

Karyotype of a human being, showing 22 autosomal pair of autosomal chromosomes and both the XX female and the XY male possibilities for the pair of sex chromosome

Fusion of ancestral chromosomes left distinctive remnants of telomeres, and a vestigial centromere. As other non-human extant hominidae have 48 chromosomes it is believed that the human chromosome 2 is the end result of the merging of two chromosomes.

The list of organisms by chromosome count describes ploidy or numbers of chromosomes in the cells of various plants, animals, protists, and other living organisms. This number, along with the visual appearance of the chromosome, is known as the karotype, and can be found by looking at the chromosomes through a microscope. Attention is paid to their length, the position of the centromeres, banding pattern, any differences between the sex chromosomes, and any other physical characteristics. The preparation and study of karyotypes is part of cytogenetics.

Diploid number ("2n") is given, except as noted.

Organism	Picture	Group	Scientific name	Diploid number of chromosomes (2n = x), except as noted	Notes
Ciliated protozoa		Other Eukaryotes	Oxytricha trifallax	1,900x = ~30,000,000	Macronuclear "nanochromosomes"; ampliploid.
Ciliated protozoa		Other Eukaryotes	Tetrahymena thermophila	10 (in micronucleus)	50x = 12,500 (in macronucleus, except minichromosomes) 10,000x = 10,000 (macronuclear minichromosomes)
Australian pitcher plant	120px	Plants	Cephalotus follicularis	20
Adders-tongue		Plants	Ophioglossum reticulatum	1260	Number given is maximum, shows many variants.
Black mulberry	120px	Plants	Morus nigra	308	In this case, the chromosome number is docosaploid, or 22 times the basic number.
Agrodiaetus butterfly		Animals	Agrodiaetus shahrami	268	This insect has one of the highest chromosome numbers among all multicellular animals.
Field horsetail	120px	Plants	Equisetum arvense	216
Rattlesnake fern	120px	Plants	Botrypus virginianus	184
Northern lamprey		Animals	Petromyzontinae	174
Carp		Animals		104
Red viscacha rat		Animals	Tympanoctomys barrerae	102	Highest number known in mammals, thought to be a tetraploid or allotetraploid.
Kamraj (fern)	120px	Plants	Helminthostachys zeylanica	94
Aquatic rat		Animals	Anotomys leander	92	Previously thought to be the highest number in mammals, tied with Ichthyomys pittieri.
Shrimp		Animals	Penaeus semisulcatus	86–92
Pittier's crab-eating rat		Animals	Ichthyomys pittieri	92	Previously thought to be the highest number in mammals, tied with Anotomys leander.
Grape fern		Plants	Sceptridium	90
Hedgehog Genus Atelerix (African hedgehogs)		Animals		90
Moonworts		Plants	Botrychium	90
Hedgehog genus Erinaceus (woodland hedgehogs)		Animals		88
Great white shark		Animals	Carcharodon carcharias	82
Pigeon	120px	Animals	Columbidae	80
Turkey		Animals	Meleagris	80
African wild dog		Animals	Lycaon pictus	78
Chicken		Animals	Gallus gallus domesticus	78
Coyote	120px	Animals	Canis latrans	78
Dhole		Animals	Cuon alpinus	78
Dingo	120px	Animals	Canis lupus dingo	78
Dog	120px	Animals	Canis lupus familiaris	78	76 autosomal and 2 sexual.
Dove		Animals	Columbidae	78	Based on African collared dove
Golden jackal	120px	Animals	Canis aureus	78
Gray wolf		Animals	Canis lupus	78
Maned wolf		Animals	Chrysocyon brachyurus	76
American black bear	120px	Animals	Ursus americanus	74
Asiatic black bear	120px	Animals	Ursus thibetanus	74
Brown bear		Animals	Ursus arctos	74
Polar bear	120px	Animals	Ursus maritimus	74
Sloth bear		Animals	Melursus ursinus	74
Sun bear		Animals	Helarctos malayanus	74
Bat-eared fox		Animals	Otocyon megalotis	72
Black nightshade	120px	Plants	Solanum nigrum	72
White-tailed deer		Animals	Odocoileus virginianus	70
Elk (Wapiti)	120px	Animals	Cervus canadensis	68
Red deer		Animals	Cervus elaphus	68
Gray fox		Animals	Urocyon cinereoargenteus	66
Raccoon dog		Animals	Nyctereutes procyonoides	66	Some variation in the number of chromosomes between individuals
Chinchilla	120px	Animals	Chinchilla lanigera	64
Echidna		Animals		63/64	63 (X1Y1X2Y2X3Y3X4Y4X5, male) and 64 (X1X1X2X2X3X3X4X4X5X5, female)
Fennec fox		Animals	Vulpes zerda	64
Horse		Animals	Equus ferus caballus	64
Spotted skunk		Animals	Spilogale x	64
Mule		Animals		63	semi-infertile (odd number of chromosomes - between donkey (62) and horse (64) makes meiosis much more difficult)
Donkey		Animals	Equus africanus asinus	62
Giraffe	120px	Animals	Giraffa camelopardalis	62
Gypsy moth		Animals	Lymantria dispar dispar	62
Bengal fox	120px	Animals	Vulpes bengalensis	60
American bison		Animals	Bison bison	60
Cow/Bull		Animals	Bos primigenius	60
Goat		Animals	Capra aegagrus hircus	60
Yak		Animals	Bos mutus	60
Woolly mammoth	120px	Animals	Mammuthus primigenius	58	extinct; tissue from a frozen carcass
Elephant		Animals	Elephantidae	56
Gaur	120px	Animals	Bos gaurus	56
Capuchin monkey		Animals	Cebus x	54
Hyrax		Animals	Hyracoidea	54	Hyraxes are considered to be the closest living relative to the Elephant.
Sheep	120px	Animals	Ovis orientalis aries	54
Silkworm	120px	Animals	Bombyx mori	54
Cotton		Plants	Gossypium hirsutum	52	2n=4x; Cultivated upland cotton is derived from an allotetraploid
Platypus		Animals	Ornithorhynchus anatinus	52	Ten sex chromosomes.
Spectacled bear	120px	Animals	Tremarctos ornatus	52
Kit fox	120px	Animals	Vulpes macrotis	50
Pineapple	120px	Plants	Ananas comosus	50
Striped skunk		Animals	Mephitis mephitis	50
Water buffalo (swamp type)		Animals	Bubalus bubalis	50
Zebrafish	120px	Animals	Danio rerio	50
Beaver (Eurasian)		Animals	Castor fiber	48
Chimpanzee		Animals	Pan troglodytes	48
Deer mouse	120px	Animals	Peromyscus maniculatus	48
Gorilla		Animals	Gorilla	48
Hare		Animals	Lepus	48
Orangutan	120px	Animals	Pongo x	48
Potato	120px	Plants	Solanum tuberosum	48	This is a tetraploid; wild relatives mostly have 2n=24.
Tobacco		Plants	Nicotiana tabacum	48	Cultivated species is a tetraploid.
Water buffalo (river type)		Animals	Bubalus bubalis	48
Human		Animals	Homo sapiens	46	44 autosomal and 2 sex
Reeves's muntjac		Animals	Muntiacus reevesi	46
Sable antelope		Animals	Hippotragus niger	46
Dolphin	120px	Animals	Delphinidae Delphi	44
Moon jellyfish		Animals	Aurelia aurita	44
Eurasian badger		Animals	Meles meles	44
European rabbit		Animals	Oryctolagus cuniculus	44
Fossa		Animals	Cryptoprocta ferox	42
Giant panda		Animals	Ailuropoda melanoleuca	42
Oats	120px	Plants	Avena sativa	42	This is a hexaploid with 2n=6x=42. Diploid and tetraploid cultivated species also exist.
Raccoon dog		Animals	Nyctereutes procyonoides	42	some sources say sub-species differ with 38, 54, and even 56 chromosomes
Rat		Animals	Rattus norvegicus	42
Rhesus monkey		Animals	Macaca mulatta	42
Wheat	120px	Plants	Triticum aestivum	42	This is a hexaploid with 2n=6x=42. Durum wheat is Triticum turgidum var. durum, and is a tetraploid with 2n=4x=28.
Wolverine		Animals	Gulo gulo	42
Beaver (American)		Animals	Castor canadensis	40
European polecat		Animals	Mustela putorius	40
Ferret	120px	Animals	Mustela putorius furo	40
Hyena		Animals	Hyaenidae	40
Mango	120px	Plants	Mangifera indica	40
Mouse		Animals	Mus musculus	40
Trans-Pecos ratsnake	120px	Animals	Bogertophis subocularis	40
American marten		Animals	Martes americana	38
Baja California ratsnake	120px	Animals	Bogertophis rosaliae	38
Beech marten	120px	Animals	Martes foina	38
Cat		Animals	Felis silvestris catus	38
Coatimundi		Animals		38
European mink		Animals	Mustela lutreola	38
Fisher		Animals		38	a type of marten
Lion	120px	Animals	Panthera leo	38
Oriental small-clawed otter	120px	Animals	Aonyx cinerea	38
Pig		Animals	Sus	38
Pine marten	120px	Animals	Martes martes	38
Raccoon	120px	Animals	Procyon lotor	38
Sable	120px	Animals	Martes zibellina	38
Sea otter	120px	Animals	Enhydra lutris	38
Tanuki/raccoon dog		Animals	Nyctereutes procyonoides albus	38
Tiger		Animals	Panthera tigris	38
Earthworm		Animals	Lumbricus terrestris	36
Long-nosed cusimanse		Animals	crossarchus obscurus	36
Meerkat	120px	Animals	Suricata suricatta	36
Red panda		Animals	Ailurus fulgens	36
Starfish		Animals	Asteroidea	36
Tibetan sand fox		Animals	Vulpes ferrilata	36
Yellow mongoose	120px	Animals	Cynictis penicillata	36
Porcupine		Animals	Erethizon dorsatum	34
Red fox	120px	Animals	Vulpes vulpes	34	Plus 3-5 microsomes.
Alfalfa	120px	Plants	Medicago sativa	32	Cultivated alfalfa is tetraploid, with 2n=4x=32. Wild relatives have 2n=16.
American badger		Animals	Taxidea taxus	32
European honey bee	120px	Animals	Apis mellifera	32	32 for females, males are haploid and thus have 16.
Yeast		Other Eukaryotes	Saccharomyces cerivisiae	32
American mink		Animals	Neovison vison	30
Pill millipede	120px	Animals	Arthrosphaera magna attems	30
Bittersweet nightshade	120px	Plants	Solanum dulcamara	24
Husk tomato	120px	Plants	Physalis pubescens	24
Silverleaf nightshade	120px	Plants	Solanum elaeagnifolium	24
Rice		Plants	Oryza sativa	24
Snail		Animals		24
Bean	120px	Plants	Phaseolus sp.	22	All species in the genus have the same chromosome number, including P. vulgaris, P. coccineus, P. acutifolis,and P. lunatus.
Virginia opossum		Animals	Didelphis virginiana	22
Tropical pitcher plant	120px	Plants	Nepenthes rafflesiana	78
Cannabis		Plants	Cannabis sativa	20
Maize	120px	Plants	Zea mays	20
Cabbage		Plants	Brassica oleracea	18	Broccoli, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower are all the same species and have the same chromosome number.
Radish	120px	Plants	Raphanus sativus	18
Kangaroo		Animals		16	This includes several members genus Macropus, but not the red kangaroo (M. rufus, 20)
Koala		Animals	Phascolarctos cinereus	16
Barley	120px	Plants	Hordeum vulgare	14
Pea	120px	Plants	Pisum sativum	14
Rye		Plants	Secale cereale	14
Tasmanian devil		Animals	Sarcophilus harrisii	14
Slime mold		Other Eukaryotes	Dictyostelium discoideum	12
Swamp wallaby		Animals	Wallabia bicolor	10/11	11 for male, 10 for female
Nematode		Animals	Caenorhabditis elegans	12/11	12 for hermaphrodites, 11 for males
Waterwheel plant	120px	Plants	Aldrovanda vesiculosa	38
Thale cress		Plants	Arabidopsis thaliana	10
Fruit fly		Animals	Drosophila melanogaster	8	6 autosomal, and 2 sexual
Hieracium		Plants		8
Indian muntjac		Animals	Muntiacus muntjak	6/7	female/male
Yellowfever mosquito		Animals	Aedes aegypti	6	The 2n=6 chromosome number is conserved in the entire family Culicidae, except in Chagasia bathana which has 2n=8.
Spider mite		Animals		4–14	Spider mites (family Tetranychidae) are typically haplodiploidy (males are haploid, while females are diploid)
Australian daisy	120px	Plants	Brachyscome dichromosomatica	2	This species can have more B chromosomes than A chromosomes at times, but 2n=2.
Jack jumper ant	120px	Animals	Myrmecia pilosula	2	2 for females, males are haploid and thus have 1; smallest number possible. Other ant species have more chromosomes.

External links

• List of pages in English from Russian bionet site
• The dog through evolution
• Shared synteny of human chromosome 17 loci in Canids
• An atlas of the chromosome numbers in animals (1951); PDF downloads of each chapter
• Bell, G. (1982). The Masterpiece of Nature: The Evolution and Genetics of Sexuality (University of California Press, Berkeley), p. 450, [1] (table with a compilation of haploid chromosome number of many algae and protozoa, in column "HAP").

• Concise Oxford Dictionary
• White 1973, p. 28
• "You Have 46 Chromosomes. This Pond Creature Has 15,600", National Geographic, [2].
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746294/
• Gregory, T.R. (2015). Animal Genome Size Database. http://www.genomesize.com/result_species.php?id=1701
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/guide/dog/
• http://resources.metapress.com/pdf-preview.axd?code=3180kk1kk0873012&size=largest
• "Hyrax: The Little Brother of the Elephant", Wildlife on One, BBC TV.
• http://genome.cshlp.org/content/10/12/1890.long
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/assembly/GCF_000001895.5
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2267682/
• The Jackson Laboratory: Mice with chromosomal aberrations.
• [3]: Chromosomes of Elaphe subocularis (Reptilia: Serpentes), with the description of an in vivo technique for preparation of snake chromosomes.
• [4]: Mengden, Greg. 1985. In Dowling, H.G. and. RM. Price. 1988. A proposed new genus for Elaphe subocularis and Elaphe rosaliae. The Snake 20(1): 53, 61.