Evaluation of the Fertility of Ecologically Different Forms of House Mice and Hybrids of the Superspecies Complex Mus musculus sensu lato (Rodentia: Muridae)

Abstract

In house mice from the superspecies complex Mus musculus s. l., the relative weight of their testicles is higher and the sperm quality is better for wildliving species than for synantropic species. It is shown that this pattern is observed at an intraspecific level as well, since the testicle weight index and sperm concentration were significantly higher in the hemi-synantropic subspecies Mus musculus wagneri and M. m. gansuensis as compared to the synantropic M. m. musculus in a number of comparisons. The heritability of these indices should be considered when interpreting the results of experimental crosses in house mice.