POSSIBLE EVIDENCE FOR THE KARYOTYPE EVOLUTION OF THE INDIAN SPINY MOUSE DUE TO TANDEM FUSION OF THE HOUSE MOUSE CHROMOSOMES

Chromosomes of the Indian spiny mouse (Mus platythr ix) are studied by the conventional and banding techniques with special reference to their origin. This species has 2n, 26 comprizing 12 acrocentric autosome pairs and acrocentric X and Y chromosomes. The comparison of G- and C-banded chromosomes and the measurement of the chromosome length between the spiny mouse and the house mouse (M. musculus), have made it possible to suggest that 8 autosome pairs (nos. 1 to 8) of the former species have been derived from the tandem fusion of two acrocentric pairs of the latter species. In this case, about 12.8 per cent of the centromere and telomere regions of chromosomes seems to be lost from the original karyotype to construct the new formation. © 1979, The Japan Academy. All rights reserved.