This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by MURRAY-PRIOR, R. B. Articles by SENIOR, W. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by MURRAY-PRIOR, R. B. Articles by SENIOR, W.

DIFFERENCE IN FERTILITY OF TWO LINES OF MICE SELECTED FOR DIFFERENT BODY CONFORMATION

Departments of Physiology and Agricultural Biology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia

(Received 17th March 1975)

Dawson et al. (1972) selected two lines of mice on limb-bone length in relation to body weight. One line (HL) was selected for long limb bones in relation to body weight and this resulted in relatively long legs together with an increase in body weight. Conversely, the other line (LL) was selected for short limbs in relation to body weight, resulting in relatively short legs and a decrease in body weight. Subsequently, Wodzicka-Tomaszewska et al. (1974) showed that HL mice had larger litters and fewer were infertile than LL mice. The present study was designed to investigate the reason for this difference in fertility.

Animals were available from generation 24 of these two lines. At this stage of selection the inbreeding coefficients were 0·43 for HL and 0·35 for LL.