- 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 The coywolf or eastern coyote is a canid hybrid having a mixture of genetic stock from western coyote (Canis latrans) and either the Gray wolf (Canis lupus) or the Red wolf (Canis rufus). They come from a constantly evolving gene pool and are viewed by some scientists as an emerging species.[1] The genetic composition of these animals is debated amongst scientists.[2]
It is possible for wolves and coyotes to interbreed and produce fertile offspring, but wolves usually kill coyotes, a fact which displaces questions of their status as two separate species.[3] However 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 interbeeding 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.[4]
The red wolf is considered by some to be a coyote/wolf hybrid
The first-generation offspring is generally intermediate in size to both parents, being larger than a pure coyote, but smaller than a pure wolf. 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]
The Red Wolf is thought by certain scientists to be in fact a wolf/coyote hybrid rather than a unique species. 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]
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] 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.
Behavior
Coywolves have the wolf characteristics of pack hunting and aggression and the coyote characteristics of lack of fear of human-developed areas. They seem to be bolder and more intelligent than regular coyotes.[9]
References
- ^ 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.
- ^ Doris Feddersen-Petersen, Hundepsychologie, 4. Auflage, 2004, Franck-Kosmos-Verlag 2004
- ^ 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.
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/
Mammal hybrids, arranged by family Bovidae Camelidae Canidae Black wolf · Coydog · Coywolf · Czechoslovakian wolfdog · Jackal–dog hybrid · Kunming wolfdog · Saarlooswolfhond · Sulimov dog · WolfdogDelphinidae Elephantidae Equidae Felidae Macropodidae Suidae Mustelidae Polecat-ferret hybrid · Polecat-mink hybridUrsidae Categories:- Canid hybrids
- Carnivora stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
