The number of chromosomes
- The number of chromosomes is a characteristic of a species and can be used to distinguish between different species.
- For example, humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, while chimpanzees have 24 pairs of chromosomes.
The structure of chromosomes
- The structure of chromosomes can also be used to determine evolutionary relationships between species.
- For example, the banding patterns on chromosomes can be compared between different species to identify regions of similarity and difference.
- Chromosomes may have distinctive features, such as the presence or absence of certain genes or the location of those genes on the chromosome.
By comparing the number and structure of chromosomes, scientists can gain insights into the evolutionary relationships between different species.