Korobitsyna K.V., Yakimenko L.V.
Zoologicheskiy zhurnal 2004; 83(8): 1018-1030
The morphological analysis was made based on 182 specimens of the house mouse Mus musculus L. from 34 commensal and indigenous populations in the territory of the former USSR. The distribution of pericentiromeric heterochromatin (H) in karyotypes of 174 animals was also investigated. The variation of the C-heterochromatin content and distribution was revealed using C- and Q-H-banding techniques. Mice of the musculus subspecies group had high morphological and ecological characteristics. Two subgroups representing longtailed and short-tailed forms were distinguished. Animals of the latter were mainly characterized by semi-commensal way of life. Four subspecies (M. m. wagneri, M. m. gansuensis, M. m. manchu, and M. musculus ssp. 2) within the subgroup of short-tailed forms were defined in the faunas of Russia, Kazakhstan, and Central Asia using cytogenetic analysis.
