Genetic and developmental variation of hemoglobin in the deermouse, Peromyscus maniculatus

Abstract
A genetic investigation of electrophoretic hemoglobin variants of the deermouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, shows three alleles, HbI f, HbIr, and HbI o, at a duplicated site controlling the six adult phenotypes. The HbI fallele has not been described previously. The hemoglobin locus is not closely linked to the albino locus. Fetal hemoglobin is distinct from any of the adult components and has a slower electrophoretic mobility. The fetal phenotype changes to the adult type between the days 15 and 18 of prenatal life.