WHAT IS A DOG Part 1

WHAT IS A DOG Part 1?
The dog (Canis familiaris when considered a distinct species or Canis lupus
familiaris when considered a subspecies of the wolf)[5] is a domesticated carnivore
of the family Canidae. It is part of the wolf-like canids,[6] and is the most widely
abundant terrestrial carnivore.[7][8][9][10][11] The dog and the extant gray wolf
are sister taxa as modern wolves are not closely related to the wolves that were first
domesticated,[12][13][14] which implies that the direct ancestor of the dog is
extinct.[15] The dog was the first species to be domesticated,[14][16] and has been
selectively bred over millennia for various behaviors, sensory capabilities, and
physical attributes.[17]
Taxonomy
Further information: Canis lupus dingo § Taxonomic debate – dog, dingo, and
New Guinea singing dog
In 1758, the Swedish botanist and zoologist Carl Linnaeus published in his
Systema Naturae the binomial nomenclature – or the two-word naming – of
species. Canis is the Latin word meaning "dog",[21] and under this genus, he listed
the dog-like carnivores, including domestic dogs, wolves, and jackals.
Their long association with humans has led dogs to be uniquely attuned to human
behavior,[18] and they can thrive on a starch-rich diet that would be inadequate for
other canids.[19] Dogs vary widely in shape, size, and colors.[20] They perform
many roles for humans, such as hunting, herding, pulling loads, protection,
assisting police and military, companionship, and, more recently, aiding disabled
people, and therapeutic roles. This influence on human society has given them the
sobriquet of "man's best friend."
In 1999, a study of mitochondrial DNA indicated that the domestic dog might have
originated from multiple grey wolf populations, with the dingo and New Guinea
singing dog "breeds" having developed at a time when human communities were
more isolated from each other.[23] In the third edition of Mammal Species of the
World published in 2005, the mammalogist W. Christopher Wozencraft listed
under the wolf Canis lupus its wild subspecies, and proposed two additional
subspecies: "familiaris Linneaus, 1758 [domestic dog]" and "dingo Meyer, 1793
[domestic dog]". Wozencraft included hallstromi – the New Guinea singing dog –
as a taxonomic synonym for the dingo. Wozencraft referred to the mDNA study as
one of the guides informing his decision.[4] Other mammalogists have noted the
inclusion of familiaris and dingo under a "domestic dog" clade.[24] This
classification by Wozencraft is debated among zoologists.[25]
In 2019, a workshop hosted by the IUCN/Species Survival Commission's Canid

Specialist Group considered the New Guinea singing dog and the dingo to be feral
dogs Canis familiaris, and therefore should not be assessed for the IUCN Red
List.[26]
Origin
Main article: Origin of the domestic dog
The domestic dog's origin includes the dog's genetic divergence from the wolf, its
domestication, and its development into dog types and dog breeds. The dog is a
member of the genus Canis, which forms part of the wolf-like canids, and was the
first species and the only large carnivore to have been domesticated.[14][27]
Genetic studies comparing dogs with modern wolves show reciprocal monophyly
(separate groups), which implies that dogs are not genetically close to any living
wolf and that their wild ancestor is extinct.[28][14] An extinct Late Pleistocene
wolf may have been the dog's ancestor,[27][1] with the dog's similarity to the
extant grey wolf being the result of genetic admixture between the two.[1] In 2020,
a literature review of canid domestication stated that modern dogs were not
descended from the same Canis lineage as modern wolves, and proposes that dogs
may be descended from a Pleistocene wolf closer in size to a village dog.[29]
The genetic divergence between dogs and wolves occurred between 20,000 and
40,000 years ago, just before or during the Last Glacial Maximum[30][1] (20,000–
27,000 years ago). This period represents the upper time-limit for domestication
commencement because it is the time of divergence and not the time of
domestication, which occurred later.[30][31] One of the most critical transitions in
human history was the domestication of animals, which began with the long-term
association between wolves and hunter–gatherers more than 15,000 years ago.[28]
The archaeological record and genetic analysis show the remains of the Bonn–
Oberkassel dog buried beside humans 14,200 years ago to be the first undisputed
dog, with disputed remains occurring 36,000 years ago.[1] By 11,000 years ago,
there were five distinct dog lineages all sharing a common ancestry distinct from
present-day wolves.[32]

WHAT IS A DOG Part 1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

WHAT IS A DOG Part 1

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

WHAT IS A DOG Part 1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

WHAT IS A DOG Part 1?

In 2019, a workshop hosted by the IUCN/Species Survival Commission's Canid

You might also like