Research for Natural Selection Final Project

Source 1:

Website URL: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dogs-may-have-evolved-from-two-

different-wolf-populations-180980350/#:~:text=Researchers%20generally%20agree%20that
%20modern,began%20to%20evolve%20into%20dogs.
Website Name: Smithsonian magazine
Author: Dates: Publisher:
Sarah Kuta June 30 2022 Smithsonian magazine
Information Found: (Copy and Paste)
Researchers generally agree that modern-day dogs evolved from grey
wolves (Canis lupus) at least 15,000 years ago, during the last Ice Age. But
nearly everything else about the domestication of dogs is a mystery,
including when, where and with what group of humans wolves began to
evolve into dogs.
Despite the diversity of wolf DNA, the researchers didn’t find a singular
ancient wolf that is directly related to all modern dogs. But they did learn
that dogs are more similar genetically to ancient wolves in Asia than wolves
in Europe, which builds on previous research that suggests dogs likely
originated somewhere in Asia.
To more directly link dogs with an ancient wolf population, researchers
simply need more specimens from all around the world, particularly from
samples from the southern hemisphere. But that’s challenging because
DNA is best preserved in colder climates, hence the more abundant
samples from the northern hemisphere used in this study.

Information Found: (Put in your own words)

Have descended from Asia and other from Middle East
Modern dogs evolved from grey wolves 15,000 in last ice age
Concluded that first domesticated in Asia Europe Middle East
Used computer software to comoare and contrast the 72 animals
Didn’t find any ancient wolf that is directly related related to all modern dogs
Dogs are genetically more similar to ancient wolves in Asia

Magazine, S. (2022, June 30). Dogs may have evolved from two different wolf populations.
Smithsonian.com. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dogs-may-have-evolved-
from-two-different-wolf-populations-180980350/#:~:text=Researchers%20generally
%20agree%20that%20modern,began%20to%20evolve%20into%20dogs.
Source 2:

Website URL: https://northernlightswildlife.com/learn-about-wolves/#:~:text=The%20Evolutionary

%20history%20of%20the,about%2052%20million%20years%20ago.
Website Name: northern lights wild life
Author: Dates: Publisher:
Northern lights wildlife Northern lights wild life
Information Found: (Copy and Paste)
The Evolutionary history of the wolf is not totally clear, but many biologists believe that the wolf
developed from primitive carnivores known as miacids. Miacids ranged from gopher-sized to dog-
sized animals, and appeared in the Lower Tertiary about 52 million years ago
Miacids in turn had evolved from Cretaceous insectivores. The direct descendants of miacids
today are animals called viverrids, which include the genet of Africa.
Relatively late in the evolutionary history of miacids came the appearance of the first canid
(Cynodictis). One of these was called the dawn-wolf. This creature had a long body and looked
like an elongated fox; it could live and climb in trees; it was also thought to be related to feline
species.
Wolf ancestors began to develop in the Paleocene, about 60 million years ago. By the Miocene,
about 20 million years ago, canines and felines had branched into two separate families. In one
wolf ancestor, Tomarctus, the fifth toe on the hind leg became vestigial and is evidenced today by
the dew claw on both wolves and dogs.
The evolution of the domestic dog (C. familiaris) is still a matter of much debate. Some believe
that the dog is descended from the wolf, while others think they are evolved separately from a
common ancestor. Recently the American Society of Mammologists recommended that the
domestic dog be reclassified as a new subspecies of wolf, Canis lupus familiaris. There is genetic
evidence that the dog is descendent from the wolf, and that the domestication of the dog took
place several times over the course of history.

Information Found: (Put in your own words)

Developed from primitive carnivores (miacids)
Gopher sized to dog sized
Miacids are now viverrids
One of the first miacids was the candid and ones pieces is the dawn-wolf
Dawn-wolf looked like a elongated fox
Candid originated in North America and spread to Asia and south America
Others say the there was a small wolf that crosses from alaska to siberia

Learn about wolves. northernlightswildlife. (n.d.). https://northernlightswildlife.com/learn-about-

wolves/
Source 3:

Website URL: https://www.sdnhm.org/exhibitions/fossil-mysteries/fossil-field-guide-a-z/mesocyon/

Website Name:
Author: Dates: Publisher:
Margaret Dykens and Lynett San Diego natural history
Gillette museum
Information Found: (Copy and Paste)
The ancestry of dog-like carnivores, as well as cat-like carnivores, goes back to the miacids, a
group of carnivorans from some 45 mya, which shared certain features, miacids, such
as Tapocyon, had retractable claws like a cat, but had broad back molar teeth like a dog.

Mesocyon was a short-faced canid, about the size of a coyote. Like all true dogs, it had legs
adapted for running, had large earbones that were adapted for better hearing, and a dentition that
functioned both in shearing flesh and in crushing bones.

we observe in our own domestic dogs, fossil canids probably had an excellent sense of smell, a
wide range of hearing, and good vision. They also had the advantage of being able to live on a
variety of foods, and could be considered omnivores.
Information Found: (Put in your own words)

Dog and cat carnivores are miacids

Miacids had retractable claws and a broad back molar teeth
Mesocyan short faced
Adapted for running
Large ear ones
Domestic dogs
Good sense of smell
Wide range of hearing
Good vision
Considered omnivores

Mesocyon. The Nat. (n.d.). https://www.sdnhm.org/exhibitions/fossil-mysteries/fossil-field-

guide-a-z/mesocyon/

Source 4:

Website URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3672638

Website Name: jstor
Author: Dates: Publisher:
The southwestern association of 2005 The southwestern association of
naturalists naturalists
Information Found: (Copy and Paste)
 Canis lepophagus, and the modern coyote, Canis latrans, was evaluated using
discriminant function analysis to determine if continuous characters can be
used to differentiate these 2 taxa. Measurements from 88 continuous
characters were partitioned into 4 groups (cranial, upper dentition,
mandibular, and lower dentition) and analyzed separately to evaluate whether
isolated or fragmentary specimens support species-level discrimination.
Measurements from the most complete, Irvingtonian-aged coyote skull were
added to the analyses as an unknown to assess the morphometric affinity of
this fossil specimen. Results indicate that complete morphometric separation
is possible between C. lepophagus and C. latrans, but only using cranial or
mandibular data

Information Found: (Put in your own words)

Studied 2 coyotes the Canis leophagus and canis latrans
Studied too see if they could tell them apart by measurements
Looked at skull and teeth
They could distinguish them by the measurements of skull or jawbone
Tested a fossil coyote skull to find out similarities
And basically used measurements to tell them apart

www.prehistoric-wildlife.com, D. P. (n.d.). Canis lepophagus. http://www.prehistoric-

wildlife.com/species/c/canis-lepophagus.html

Source 5:

Website URL:
Website Name:
Author: Dates: Publisher:

Information Found: (Copy and Paste)

Information Found: (Put in your own words)