Morphometric variation in wolves and golden jackal in India (Mammalia, Carnivora)

Species of Canis (Carnivora, Canidae) have similar morphology and distinguishing sympatric species is challenging. We present data on morphometry of skull, body and hair of three wild Canis species that occur in India, which include two wolves (Indian wolf, Canis lupus pallipes; and Himalayan wolf, Canis himalayensis) and the golden jackal (Canis aureus). A total of 20 cranial and six body measurements and microscopic characteristics of guard hair were analysed, using multivariate ordination to differentiate between species. Cranial measures of the Himalayan wolves were found to be the largest followed by Indian wolves and golden jackals. However, many measures overlapped amongst the three species. Two Principal Components each, for body measures and cranial measures, explained 86 and 91% of the variation in the data, respectively. These Components discriminated the two wolves from golden jackals, but could not distinguish between wolves. Hair medullary patterns were simple and wide type, whereas hair cuticular patterns showed crenate scale margins, near scale distance and irregular wavey scale patterns for all Canis taxa and were not useful to distinguish species. Data reported in this study further contribute to the existing global data on wild canids for a holistic understanding of the variation within the genus and show that distinguishing between all sympatric species from morphology alone may not be possible.

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The analysis of the canid mitochondrial genome studied in Morocco shows that it is neither wolf (Canis lupus) nor Eurasian jackal (Canis aureus)

10.7287/peerj.preprints.1763 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Vicente Urios Moliner ◽

Maria P Donat-Torres ◽

Carlos A Ramírez Castillo ◽

Octavio Monroy-Vilchis ◽

Hamid Rguibi Idrissi

Keyword(s):

Mitochondrial Genome ◽

Canis Lupus ◽

Mitochondrial Genomes ◽

Golden Jackal ◽

Accession Number ◽

Canis Aureus ◽

And Control ◽

First Time ◽

Scientific Name ◽

Complete Mitochondrial Genomes

The mitochondrial genome of three Moroccan canids has been analysed. Two of them complete and one partial. The sequences are included in GenBank with the accession number KT378605 (16721 bp), KT378606 (16734bp) and KT378607 (27809bp) Theses results have been compared with the results currently available in GenBank. In the phylogenetic analysis of the of cytochrome b regions and control region the three are grouped together with Canis lupus lupaster and the Senegalese golden jackal Canis aureus and separate from the wolf Canis lupus and the Eurasian golden jackal Canis aureus. The comparison of the complete mitochondrial genomes with Canis lupus confirms the distance between the two groups. We conclude that they belong to a different species to the wolf Canis lupus and the Eurasian golden jackal. We propose in agreement with (Koepfli et al., 2015) that it´s scientific name be Canis anthus by merit of being the name by which it was classified and published for the first time as a different species by Cuvier in 1824. The preprint is a translation of a Spanish document published in Altorero journal on the 15th August 2015.

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Microanatomical Observations of Hair Characteristics of Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), Golden Jackal (Canis aureus), and Gray Wolf (Canis lupus): A Comparative Study

Pakistan Journal of Zoology ◽

10.17582/journal.pjz/20200728150743 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ahmet Arpacik

Keyword(s):

Comparative Study ◽

Canis Lupus ◽

Vulpes Vulpes ◽

Red Fox ◽

Gray Wolf ◽

Golden Jackal ◽

Canis Aureus

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The analysis of the canid mitochondrial genome studied in Morocco shows that it is neither wolf (Canis lupus) nor Eurasian jackal (Canis aureus)

10.7287/peerj.preprints.1763v1 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Vicente Urios Moliner ◽

Maria P Donat-Torres ◽

Carlos A Ramírez Castillo ◽

Octavio Monroy-Vilchis ◽

Hamid Rguibi Idrissi

Keyword(s):

Mitochondrial Genome ◽

Canis Lupus ◽

Mitochondrial Genomes ◽

Golden Jackal ◽

Accession Number ◽

Canis Aureus ◽

And Control ◽

First Time ◽

Scientific Name ◽

Complete Mitochondrial Genomes

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First evidence of hybridization between golden jackal ( Canis aureus ) and domestic dog ( Canis familiaris ) as revealed by genetic markers

Royal Society Open Science ◽

10.1098/rsos.150450 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2 (12) ◽

pp. 150450 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Ana Galov ◽

Elena Fabbri ◽

Romolo Caniglia ◽

Haidi Arbanasić ◽

Silvana Lapalombella ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Markers ◽

Parental Species ◽

Domestic Dogs ◽

Domestic Dog ◽

Phenotypic Traits ◽

Golden Jackal ◽

Canis Aureus ◽

Histocompatibility Complex ◽

Wild Canids ◽

Autosomal Microsatellites

Interspecific hybridization is relatively frequent in nature and numerous cases of hybridization between wild canids and domestic dogs have been recorded. However, hybrids between golden jackals ( Canis aureus ) and other canids have not been described before. In this study, we combined the use of biparental (15 autosomal microsatellites and three major histocompatibility complex (MHC) loci) and uniparental (mtDNA control region and a Y-linked Zfy intron) genetic markers to assess the admixed origin of three wild-living canids showing anomalous phenotypic traits. Results indicated that these canids were hybrids between golden jackals and domestic dogs. One of them was a backcross to jackal and another one was a backcross to dog, confirming that golden jackal–domestic dog hybrids are fertile. The uniparental markers showed that the direction of hybridization, namely females of the wild species hybridizing with male domestic dogs, was common to most cases of canid hybridization. A melanistic 3bp-deletion at the K locus ( β -defensin CDB103 gene), that was absent in reference golden jackal samples, but was found in a backcross to jackal with anomalous black coat, suggested its introgression from dogs via hybridization. Moreover, we demonstrated that MHC sequences, although rarely used as markers of hybridization, can be also suitable for the identification of hybrids, as long as haplotypes are exclusive for the parental species.

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First records of Dirofilaria repens in wild canids from the region of Central Balkan

Acta Veterinaria Hungarica ◽

10.1556/avet.2014.021 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 62 (4) ◽

pp. 481-488 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Duško Ćirović ◽

Aleksandra Penezić ◽

Ivan Pavlović ◽

Zoran Kulišić ◽

Nada Ćosić ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Canis Lupus ◽

Vulpes Vulpes ◽

Mediterranean Region ◽

Red Fox ◽

Dirofilaria Repens ◽

Canis Aureus ◽

Wild Canids ◽

Balkan Countries ◽

Human Dirofilariosis ◽

Free Ranging

Dirofilaria repens causes an emerging zoonotic disease in Europe, particularly in its southern part, the Mediterranean region. Many reports on human dirofilariosis have been published recently, but little is known about the wildlife hosts and reservoirs of this parasite in nature. This paper presents the first records of adult D. repens specimens from free-ranging carnivores in Central Balkan countries (Serbia and Macedonia). During the period 2009–2013, a total of 145 regularly shot canids were examined for the presence of D. repens adults. In order to investigate their role as hosts and potential wild reservoirs of this zoonosis, 71 wolves (Canis lupus), 48 foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and 26 jackals (Canis aureus) were examined. Under the skin of two wolves (one from Serbia and one from Macedonia) and of a red fox from Serbia D. repens adults were found. In all three cases only one parasite was present. Further research on wild canids is needed, particularly on species widening their range (such as jackals) and those living near human settlements (foxes and jackals), which facilitates the transmission of the parasites to dogs and humans.

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Ecology and conservation of golden jackal (Canis aureus) in Jodhpur, Rajasthan

Journal of Applied and Natural Science ◽

10.31018/jans.v9i4.1559 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 2491-2495

Author(s):

Aazad P. Ojha ◽

Gautam Sharma ◽

L. S. Rajpurohit

Keyword(s):

Canis Lupus ◽

Conservation Management ◽

Large Population ◽

Golden Jackal ◽

Thar Desert ◽

Hanuman Langur ◽

Canis Aureus ◽

North West ◽

Semi Arid Region ◽

Hyaena Hyaena

At north-west of India there is dry, semi arid region called as The Great Indian Thar desert. It lies between 24o and 35o 5’ N latitude and 70o 7’ and 76o 2’ E. Mammals of Thar desert includes the wolf (Canis lupus), the stripped hyaena (Hyaena hyaena), golden Jackal (Canis aureus), the Indian desert fox (Vulpes v. pusilla), wild bore (Susscrofaspc.), black buck (Antilo pecervicapra), blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus), chinkara (Gazella benneti), Hanuman langur (Semenopithecus entellus) etc. Golden Jackal is unique in distribution, occurrence, and survives at different environmental conditions in India including the hot desert. Present study has been carried out at Phitkasni village, situated south-east of Jodhpur city. Large population of golden Jackal has observed and data of their homerange, territory, inter-specific relation, conflict with human and mortality has been studied. It is concluded that regular monitoring and proper conservation management is needed in this area so Jackal and other carnivore like wolf, desert fox and hyena can also be conserved.

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PCR-based Y chromosome marker for discriminating between golden jackal (Canis aureus) and domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) paternal ancestry

Conservation Genetics Resources ◽

10.1007/s12686-013-0110-7 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 275-277 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ana Galov ◽

Magda Sindičić ◽

Tomislav Gomerčić ◽

Haidi Arbanasić ◽

Matea Baburić ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Y Chromosome ◽

Canis Lupus ◽

Domestic Dog ◽

Golden Jackal ◽

Canis Lupus Familiaris ◽

Canis Aureus ◽

Chromosome Marker

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Habitat use of golden jackals (Canis aureus) in riverine areas of northern Bosnia and Herzegovina

European Journal of Wildlife Research ◽

10.1007/s10344-021-01457-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 67 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Aldin Selimovic ◽

Eva Maria Schöll ◽

Larissa Bosseler ◽

Jennifer Hatlauf

Keyword(s):

Habitat Use ◽

Bosnia And Herzegovina ◽

Agricultural Practices ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Food Sources ◽

Golden Jackal ◽

Canis Aureus ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Habitat Analysis ◽

Group Density

AbstractRecently confirmed expansion of golden jackals (Canis aureus) into countries without any previous records poses questions, one of them focusing on the species potential and possibly varying habitat use. In this study, we investigated the presence and distribution of golden jackals in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, where knowledge about golden jackal distribution and habitat use is still scarce. We used bioacoustic stimulation as a non-invasive tool to gather data on golden jackal presence. Habitat structures potentially selected by the species were assessed at 92 calling stations and used as input for binary logistic regression models. Our study area covered approximately 1150 km2, and bioacoustic stimulation within this area resulted in an estimated minimum relative group density of 3.5 territorial groups per 100 km2. We found territorial groups at distances between 15 and 38 km southwards from the river Sava but always within a maximum range of 3 km to perennial watercourses. Habitat analysis identified shrub vegetation and pastures as structures with a significant effect on the presence of resident golden jackals. Probability that golden jackals answered at calling stations increased with increasing surface area covered with pastures and shrubs. Distances between golden jackal territories and the nearest human settlement were relatively small. Our results indicate that structures like transitional woodland-shrubs and pastures, together with other potential influencing factors like local agricultural practices, low hunting pressure, diverse natural and anthropogenic food sources, could have benefited the settlement of golden jackals in the northern lowlands of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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