Snell's waltzer, a new mutation affecting behaviour and the inner ear in the mouse.

A new recessive gene affecting behaviour and the inner ear in the mouse has been discovered. It was named Snell's waltzer, and assigned the symbol sv . It is in linkage group II, about two map units from short ear ( se ) on the side opposite to that of luxoid ( lu ). The behaviour of sv/sv mice closely resembles that of other members of the shaker-waltzer group. The abnormalities of the inner ear consist in degeneration of certain parts following normal morphogenesis. The entire neuro-epithelium —that is, the organ of Corti, the two maculae and the three cristae—is affected, and this feature distinguishes it from other degenerative type mutants of this group.