Prehistoric wolf8/4/2023 ![]() It is now estimated that the separation of the population into several distinct lines of modern Eurasian wolves occurred approximately 40,000 to 20,000 years ago. 3.3 million years to 11,700 years ago) were able to adapt to a changing geography caused by successive glacial events in Eurasia as well as human presence. In particular, they indicate lupine populations in the Paleolithic (c. Unsurprisingly, such analyses reveal a highly complex demographic and phylogenetic history of the grey wolf down through the ages. These results help sketch a blueprint for the overall phylogenetic history of canines. While the majority of this research focuses on mitochondrial DNA (i.e., DNA inherited solely from the maternal line, but which is less prone to degradation), a handful of studies also look at the complete genome (i.e., chromosomes inherited from the maternal and paternal lines, but which are preserved much more poorly during fossilization). The method also has the advantage of merely relying on bone fragments, rather than whole and fully preserved skeletons. Thanks to major strides in genetics in recent years, many studies of ancient DNA can help paleontologists and archaeologists track down mysterious origins of the "first dog." Samples from both ancient and modern canines have been taken from every continent, enabling scientists to analyze the diversity of their gene pool. Again, the real significance of these clues remains unclear. It has been noted, for instance, that canines were used to help make jewelry they are also present in cave art. ![]() Such data points to the existence of a special link between these two types of large predators that may have begun emerging in the Upper Paleolithic, the period broadly spanning from 50,000 to 12,000 years ago. ![]() The field of archaeology complements this approach by gathering information on the first interactions between humans and canines. The problem is that full skeletons of Paleolithic canines are extremely difficult to come by. Instead, either a series of significant variables must be observed in one individual, or a novel trait must be observed repeatedly in a population or under a given context. However, the dog's domestic nature cannot be proven by the isolated appearance of one trait in one specimen. Over the millennia, domestic canines have evolved shorter snouts and smaller teeth, as well as a smaller appendicular skeleton (referring to the bones of their front and hind legs). Paleontology brings some important elements into this debate, but it is still tricky to identify the osteo-morphological analyses (i.e., the study of bone size and bone morphology) that would allow us to differentiate between proto-dog species.Įver since Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, we have known that a series of phenotypic changes (i.e., observable physical characteristics) can be seen in animals undergoing a process of domestication, with retained traits often favoring the more docile members of a species. The timeline of the prehistoric wolf's domestication is arguably one of the most hotly debated topics in evolutionary science. Dated from the Upper Magdalanian, circa 14,000 BCE.The science investigating the wolf-dog kinship Wolf frieze: Carved bone, La Vache Cave (Alliat, Ariège, France). ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |