Spontaneour Robertsonian fusion leading to karyotype variation in the house mouse - first report form Asia.

The occurrence of spontaneous Robertsonian fusion leading to 2n=39 chromosomes (NF=40) in the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) has been reported for the first time from Asia. 3 phenotypically normal female mice collected from 2 distantly located populations of India (Tripura and Calcutta) show centric fusion in somatic chromosomes between pairs 2 and 16, and 8 and 14 respectively. C-banding analysis revealed that the (sub)metacentric has been originated by fusion between the broken/eroded centromeres of 2 telocentric chromosomes.