Chromosomal, Electrophoretic, and Breeding Studies of Selected Populations of Deer Mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and Black-Eared Mice (P. melanotis)

Chromosomal Evolution and the Mode of Speciation in Three Species of Peromyscus

“…Based on chromosomal, electrophoretic and breeding data, Bowers et al (1973) suggested that the evolution of this superspecies complex might fit the centrifugal speciation model (Brown, 1957). "Centrifugal speciation" is an allopatric model which emphasizes the different rates of evolution in slowly evolving peripheral species as opposed to the more rapidly evolving central species.…”

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The possibility that the Peromyscus maniculatus complex of deer mice arose via the process described as "centrifugal speciation" (Brown, 1957) has been discussed by Bowers et al, 1973, Lawlor, 1974, Baker et al, 1975, and Greenbaum et al, 1978 This study was designed to yield additional data on the cytogenetics of three species of this complex in order to evaluate the "centrifugal speciation" model as a viable explanation of the evolutionary origin of the complex.Peromyscus melanotis and P. polionotus are believed to be peripheral isolates from the stock that evolved into the species P. maniculatus (Blair, 1950, Bowers et al, 1973. P. maniculatus is a widespread species occurring in a variety of habitats, whereas P. melanotis is a high montane species found in coniferous forest and P. polionotus is a deep sand species found in grassy fields at lower elevations near sea level (see Hooper, 1968, for general distribution of these three species).

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“…The possibility that the Peromyscus maniculatus complex of deer mice arose via the process described as "centrifugal speciation" (Brown, 1957) has been discussed by Bowers et al, 1973, Lawlor, 1974, Baker et al, 1975, and Greenbaum et al, 1978 This study was designed to yield additional data on the cytogenetics of three species of this complex in order to evaluate the "centrifugal speciation" model as a viable explanation of the evolutionary origin of the complex.…”

“…Peromyscus melanotis and P. polionotus are believed to be peripheral isolates from the stock that evolved into the species P. maniculatus (Blair, 1950, Bowers et al, 1973. P. maniculatus is a widespread species occurring in a variety of habitats, whereas P. melanotis is a high montane species found in coniferous forest and P. polionotus is a deep sand species found in grassy fields at lower elevations near sea level (see Hooper, 1968, for general distribution of these three species).…”

The Genetics of Speciation in the Rodent Genus Peromyscus

“…For the past 6 yr, we have concentrated our efforts on genic variation and the genetics of speciation in species groups of the subgenus Peromyscus, primarily the boylii and truei species groups (Hart and Zimmerman, 1977;Kilpatrick andZimmerman, 1975, 1976a,b;Zimmerman et al, 1975). Whereas studies by several investigators (Avise et al, 1974a,b;Bowers et al, 1973;Garten, 1976;Jensen, 1970;Jensen and Rasmussen, 1971;Johnson and Packard, 1974;Selander et al, 1971;Smith et al, 1973) have increased our understanding of the genetics of various other species of Peromyscus, quantification of the amount of genomic modification accompanying speciation has not been thoroughly examined. Data now available from our studies permit us to assess the genetics of speciation at five levels of differentiation among six of the seven species groups of the subgenus Peromyscus.…”