<p>During the Late Pleistocene (129–11.7&#xa0;ka), strong competition drove evolution of the Beringian wolf ecotype, a morphologically robust form found in Beringia. Relative to Recent counterparts, Beringian wolves possessed robust jaws, wide carnassial teeth, and short snouts, which enhanced carcass utilisation and enabled niche partitioning with other Late Pleistocene carnivores. Body mass differences may also have enabled this. Given the landscape of the Late Pleistocene, Beringian wolves may have differed in size from Recent wolves. To test this, we selected 32 Pleistocene grey wolves (<i>Canis lupus</i>) specimens from eastern Beringia, and 106 Recent Canadian specimens. To statistically compare body masses, we used lengths and widths of the upper and lower carnassial teeth (p4 and m1 molars) and estimated body mass using published regressions. We also compared published values for Alaskan, Siberian, and European Pleistocene wolves. When accounting for sample size differences using subsampling, significant differences in the distributions of carnassial and body size estimates between Yukon Pleistocene and Recent Canadian forms were not found, though they did differ significantly in m1 lengths and P4 widths (<i>P</i>-value &lt; 0.05). Yukon Pleistocene forms were significantly smaller than their Alaskan and Siberian conspecifics (<i>P</i>-value &lt; 0.05), but similar to European forms. We suggest that Yukon Pleistocene wolves belonged to the same ecotype as Recent Canadian wolves, were driven by specialization on large ungulates, but not genetic relatedness. We further hypothesize that Alaskan and Siberian Beringian wolves evolved larger bodies due to specialization on larger herbivores, or relying on scavenging and deterring kleptoparasites.</p>

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

Comparative body size distributions of Pleistocene and Recent Canadian wolves (Canis lupus)

  • Logan Micucci,
  • Zoe Landry,
  • Kamal Khidas,
  • Danielle Fraser

摘要

During the Late Pleistocene (129–11.7 ka), strong competition drove evolution of the Beringian wolf ecotype, a morphologically robust form found in Beringia. Relative to Recent counterparts, Beringian wolves possessed robust jaws, wide carnassial teeth, and short snouts, which enhanced carcass utilisation and enabled niche partitioning with other Late Pleistocene carnivores. Body mass differences may also have enabled this. Given the landscape of the Late Pleistocene, Beringian wolves may have differed in size from Recent wolves. To test this, we selected 32 Pleistocene grey wolves (Canis lupus) specimens from eastern Beringia, and 106 Recent Canadian specimens. To statistically compare body masses, we used lengths and widths of the upper and lower carnassial teeth (p4 and m1 molars) and estimated body mass using published regressions. We also compared published values for Alaskan, Siberian, and European Pleistocene wolves. When accounting for sample size differences using subsampling, significant differences in the distributions of carnassial and body size estimates between Yukon Pleistocene and Recent Canadian forms were not found, though they did differ significantly in m1 lengths and P4 widths (P-value < 0.05). Yukon Pleistocene forms were significantly smaller than their Alaskan and Siberian conspecifics (P-value < 0.05), but similar to European forms. We suggest that Yukon Pleistocene wolves belonged to the same ecotype as Recent Canadian wolves, were driven by specialization on large ungulates, but not genetic relatedness. We further hypothesize that Alaskan and Siberian Beringian wolves evolved larger bodies due to specialization on larger herbivores, or relying on scavenging and deterring kleptoparasites.