3 Comments

  • Alexander Coke Smith

    Cool report! Question on the Algonquin wolves – what is the status of their classification nowadays? Subspecies, true species? From what I have read, the Coydog issue is not a factor in Algonquin NP but the classification still seems muddy from what I have read. Anything new out these days? Cheers, Coke

    • Vladimir Dinets

      The issue of classifying taxa of hybrid origin is new and not well worked out yet; there is no universally recognized approach. Apparently, AW has much higher percentage of wolf genes compared to Red Wolf. Most lists now have it as either Canis lycaon, Canis lupus lycaon, or Canis rufus lycaon. Personally, I used the latter option until now, but am leaning towards the former one, since AW is not necessarily monophiletic with C. rufus and is clearly able to survive long-term in parapatry with C. lupus and allopatry with C. latrans. Here’s the most recent paper on classifying North American wolves: http://www.fwspubs.org/doi/pdf/10.3996/nafa.77.0001

    • morganchurchill

      I am myself inclined to consider the Timber wolves, Red wolfs, and new world Gray wolves as all being the same species.

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