Coywolf
| Woyote | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
|
Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
|
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Canidae |
| Genus: | Canis |
| Species: | Canis latrans x Canis lupus |
| Binomial name | |
| Canis latrus |
|
 |
This article needs attention from an expert on the subject. See the talk page for details. Consider associating this request with a WikiProject. (January 2012) |
Coywolves are canid hybrids of wolves and coyotes.
At one time there was some doubt that coywolves could reproduce successfully without subsequent generation infertility. Breeding experiments in Germany with poodles and coyotes, as well as with wolves, jackals and later on with the resulting dog-coyote hybrids showed a decrease in fertility and significant communication problems as well as an increase in genetic diseases after three generations of interbreeding between the hybrids, unlike with wolfdogs. Therefore it was concluded that domestic dogs and gray wolves are the same species and that the coyote is a separate species from both.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Eastern Coyotes
The eastern coyote is a coywolf, a canid hybrid, which, despite having a majority of coyote (Canis latrans) ancestry, also descends from wolves, either the Gray wolf (Canis lupus) or the Red wolf (Canis rufus), which is on balance more coyote than wolf. They come from a constantly evolving gene pool and are viewed by some scientists as an emerging species.[2] The genetic composition of these animals is debated amongst scientists.[3] [4]
A study showed that of 100 coyotes collected in Maine, 22 had half or more wolf ancestry, and one was 89 percent wolf. A theory has been proposed that the large eastern coyotes in Canada are actually hybrids of the smaller western coyotes and wolves that met and mated decades ago as the coyotes moved toward New England from their earlier western ranges. In the early fall of 2010 there was a report given of a coywolf attack on an old man walking his dogs near the humber river in downtown Toronto. [5]
[edit] The Red Wolf
The Red Wolf is a wolf/coyote hybrid. Strong evidence for hybridization was found through genetic testing which showed that red wolves have only 5% of their alleles unique from either Gray wolves or coyotes. Genetic distance calculations have indicated that red wolves are intermediate between coyotes and grey wolves, and that they bear great similarity to wolf/coyote hybrids in southern Quebec and Minnesota. Analyses of mitochondrial DNA showed that existing Red Wolf populations are predominantly coyote in origin.[6] Researchers in the Northeast and Canada say the population of coywolf hybrids is growing in the Northeast region.[7]
[edit] Eastern Timber Wolves
On March 31st, 2010, a presentation by Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources research scientist Brent Patterson outlined key findings that most coyotes in Eastern Ontario are wolf-coyote hybrids and the Eastern wolves in Algonquin Park are, in general, not inter-breeding with coyotes.[8]
[edit] Other reports
And, on the April 20, 2011 episode of "Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files," analysis of DNA extracted from the corpse of a so-called "Texas chupacabra" showed it to actually be a coyote/Mexican timber wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) hybrid.
[edit] Behavior
Coywolves have the wolf characteristics of pack hunting and aggression and the coyote characteristic of lack of fear of human-developed areas. They seem to be bolder and more intelligent than regular coyotes.[9]
[edit] References
- ^ Doris Feddersen-Petersen, Hundepsychologie, 4. Auflage, 2004, Franck-Kosmos-Verlag 2004
- ^ Vyhnak, Carola (Aug 15 2009). "Meet the coywolf". Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/unassigned/article/681632. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
- ^ Chambers, Steven M. (Jun 2010). "A Perspective on the Genetic Composition of Eastern Coyotes". Northeastern Naturalist: 205–210. doi:10.1656/045.017.0203. http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1656/045.017.0203. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
- ^ Oosthoek, Sharon (February 23, 2008). "The decline, fall and return of the red wolf". New Scientist. Reed Business Information. http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life/mg19726441.900-the-decline-fall-and-return-of-the-red-wolf.html. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
- ^ Zimmerman, David. "Eastern Coyotes Are Becoming Coywolves". Caledonian-Record. http://ncmg.blogspot.com/2005/07/coy-dogs-maybe-not.html. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
- ^ "The red wolf (Canis rufus) – hybrid or not?" (PDF). Montana State University. http://www.montana.edu/~wwwbi/staff/creel/bio480/The%20red%20wolf.pdf. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
- ^ Johnson, Edie (February 10, 2006). "Coywolf: Are they a suburban legend, or a natural fact?". The Chronicle. Straus Newspapers. http://www.strausnews.com/articles/2006/02/13/the_chronicle/news/4ch.txt. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
- ^ Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society - Eastern Wolf
- ^ Carola, Vyhnak (August 15, 2009). "Meet the coywolf". Toronto Star. Torstar. http://www.thestar.com/unassigned/article/681632. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
[edit] External links
- The complicated science of studying coyotes and hybrid species: Mysteries That Howl and Hunt
- Interbreeding Threatens Rare Species, Experts Say
- Eastern Coyote/Coywolf Research http://www.easterncoyoteresearch.com/
- Jonathan Way's Eastern Coyote Webpage https://www2.bc.edu/~wayjo/
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
This article about a carnivoran is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
