Listing of Stocks and Strains of Mice in the Genus Mus Derived from the Feral State

Abstract

The following is the first listing of stocks of mice whose origins can be traced directly to a feral origin. Most of the strains listed are of relatively recent origin, and no attempt has been made to include strains that have been listed under the standard inbred strains. Included in the list are species of mice that are included in the Marshall classification of the genus Mus (Marshall 1977). This classification subdivided the genus Mus into 4 subgenera: Coelomys (mice of mountain forests), Pyromys (spiny mice), Nannomys (African pygmy mice) and Mus (house and nee paddy mice). Each subgenus contains multiple species (see also Marshall, this book). It is not generally agreed that Coelomys, Pyromys and Nannomys are part of the genus Mus (see Bonhomme, this book). Bonhomme proposes these latter 3 groups of mice represent separate genera. Regardless of the classification system, it appears that these species are more closely related to Mus than to Rattus, however, the data are still based on very restri cted parameters. Because representative species are available and have been included in a number of studies, they are included in this listing, but it should be noted that further analysis will be required to settle the relationship of Coelomys, Pyromys and Nannomys to Mus.