Canidae

Background: Although a variety of genetic changes have been implicated in causing phenotypic differences among dogs, the role of copy number variants (CNVs) and their impact on phenotypic variation is still poorly understood. Further, very limited knowledge exists on structural variation in the gray wolf, the ancestor of the dog, or other closely related wild canids. Documenting CNVs variation in wild canids is essential to identify ancestral states and variation that may have appeared after domestication.

The rabies cases in dogs and wild canids in Northeastern Brazil are a public and animal health problem. This paper describes the identities of the coding region of the N-gene of Rabies virus (RABV) isolated in canids from Northeastern Brazil. The genetic tree generated using the sequence data described here divided the cluster BRAZILAN CANIDS into two subclusters (DOG-RELATED STRAINS and WILD CANID-RELATED STRAINS) with identities greater than those already described. The two subclusters are sub-divided into geographic groups related to the origin of the isolates, suggesting a long-standing ecological coexistence of the sequence types characteristic of the groups. This article also analyzes the 513-nucleotide stretch of the mitochondrial DNA control region of rabies-positive canids from Northeastern Brazil with a view to identifying the main RABV host among them. Among the four species of wild canids found in the region, two (Cerdocyon thous and Pseudalopex vetulus) are frequently a...

We give a comprehensive overview of the observation of the golden jackal or reed wolf (Canis aureus), from the beginning of the 1800s until 1995 in Hungary, based on the available literature. We discuss 57 observations from the period surveyed, seven reports that mentioned canids but certainly not a jackal, 26 questionable cases, and 16 records that
certainly refer to jackals. These included records from historical Hungary as well: two from present Serbia, one from present Ukraine, one from present Croatia, and six from present
Romania. Until the 1920s, the jackal was observed in Hungary only along major rivers and between the Danube and Tisza, and records are almost missing in the 1920-1945 period,
whereas in the last 50 years surveyed, the number of observations increased. Since 1980 the Hungarian jackal population is constantly increasing, its beeing estimated at above 1500 individuals in 2007. We discuss the distribution pattern observed in the light of the geographical and historical changes that took part in the country in the last few decades.

The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus, Illiger, 1815, Canidae) is a threatened species that inhabits the cerrados of Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Captive maned wolves could be potentially used in reintroduction programs for species conservation; however, it is necessary that their behavior and cognitive abilities are conserved. Environmental enrichment is a tool used to stimulate captive animals and maintain a natural behavioral repertoire. To compare the variation of captive maned wolves' behavioral responses to environmental enrichment, we studied three maned wolves held by Belo Horizonte Zoo, Brazil. Foraging, interspecific, and intraspecific stimuli were offered to the animals and their responses were compared with a baseline and postenrichment treatments. The test was used to help in choosing which one of the three individuals would participate in a reintroduction project. The results showed that Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com).

Background: The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), an endangered canid native to southern and eastern Africa, is distinct among canids in being described as entirely tetradactyl and in its nomadic lifestyle and use of exhaustive predation to capture its prey instead of speed, strength, or stealth. These behavioral and morphological traits suggest a potentially unique set of adaptations. Methods: Here, we dissected the forelimbs of an adult male L. pictus specimen and performed detailed descriptions and quantitative analyses of the musculoskeletal anatomy. Results: Statistical comparisons of muscle masses and volumes revealed that L. pictus has relatively smaller wrist rotators (mm. pronator teres, pronator quadratus, supinator) than any other included carnivoran taxon, suggesting adaptive pressures for antebrachial stability over rotatory movement in the carpus of L. pictus. While a complete digit I is absent in L. pictus, a vestigial first metacarpal was discovered, resulting in changes to insertions of mm. extensor digiti I et II, abductor (et opponens) digiti I and flexor digiti I brevis. Mm. anconeus, brachialis and flexor carpi ulnaris caput ulnare all have more extensive origins in L. pictus than other canids suggesting an emphasis on posture and elbow stability. M. triceps brachii caput laterale has a larger origin in L. pictus and m. triceps brachii caput longum has an additional accessory head. Electromyographic studies have shown this muscle is active during the stance phase of trotting and galloping and is important for storing elastic energy during locomotion. We interpret these differences in size and attachments of muscles in L. pictus as adaptations for long distance running in this highly cursorial species, likely important for exhaustive predation. Absence of a full digit I in L. pictus may increase speed and stride length; however, the retention of a vestigial digit permits the attachment of reduced pollical muscles which may provide additional stability and proprioception to the carpus.

Předmostí is one of the most famous Gravettian sites in Central Europe. Its fame is based on a unique human
assemblage, sadly largely destroyed during the Second World War, a huge mammoth assemblage and a very rich large canid
assemblage. It has been shown previously that mammoth played an important role in the subsistence practices of the Gravettian
inhabitants of Předmostí. Detailed analyses of the large canid postcranial material were carried out to investigate whether
these canid remains can be assigned to different size groups and whether these remains show evidence of being butchered and
consumed by humans. Based on defl eshing marks and impact traces on the long bones, it is proposed here that large canids were
consumed by the Gravettian inhabitants of Předmostí, thus further elucidating the specifi c human-large canid relationships that
existed during the Upper Palaeolithic.

Ceré Cave (Verona, Italy) is a karst fissure infilled with an ossiferous breccia and was first excavated in the first half of the twentieth century. Revision of the material stored in the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale of Verona was made before the beginning of new excavations. This work presents new analysis of the carnivores. The presence of Homotherium latidens and Canis mosbachensis, and the lack of typical Aurelian species, allow the temporal attribution of the site to the Middle or Late Galerian (Middle Pleistocene).

Identifying the most appropriate bait for a camera trap study is an important step in sampling design, as some baits may perform better than others in attracting different animal species. In this study, we compare the vertebrate communities detected using five different widely used baits (i.e., fruit, sardines, valerian extract, a mix of sweet fruits and peanut butter, and a combination of valerian extract and sardines). We assess their performance and characterize the species best detected by each bait in the diverse Cerrado biome. We identified a total of 46 species of vertebrates: 15 mammals, 4 reptiles, and 27 birds. The baits differed in their estimates of community composition, richness, and abundance. In general, valerian extract detected fewer individuals and species than any of the other baits. Fruits detected the largest number of bird species. Sardines detected the largest number of species overall and were the best bait for felines and reptiles. Baits of an animal origin performed similarly to those of a plant origin. Our study shows that baits should be selected based on the objective of the study.

The fossil canid material recovered from the Early Pleistocene site of Poggio Rosso offers the opportunity to revise the taxonomical status of the Arno River dog, Canis arnensis. To date, the identification of this species is still a matter of debate due, on the one hand, to the poor state of preservation of the type specimens, and on the other hand to the lack of homogeneous descriptions and a clear diagnosis. The fossils recovered from Poggio Rosso show a good state of preservation with little (if any) plastic deformation , allowing re-evaluation of the dental and cranial characters typical of this species, as well as the proposal, for the first time, of a precise and specific diagnosis. The anatomical and morphometric features of C. arnensis exclude a close taxonomical relationship with the coeval Canis etruscus, suggesting instead a closer affinity to modern canids. The C. arnensis arrived in Italy around 1.9 Ma as the result of a dispersal event, and Poggio Rosso is the first Italian site recording the occurrence of this species. The dispersal of C. arnensis represents the arrival of the first modern canids in Europe and is therefore a significantly important biochronological event in European faunal assemblages.

Changing land use patterns in southern Africa have potential to dramatically alter the prospects for carnivore conservation. Understanding these influences is essential for conservation planning. We interviewed 250 ranchers in Namibia to assess human tolerance towards and the distribution of large carnivores. Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), leopards (Panthera pardus) and brown hyaenas (Hyaena brunnea) were widely distributed on Namibian farmlands, spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta) had a narrower distribution, and wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) and lions (Panthera leo) are largely limited to areas near source populations. Farmers were most tolerant of leopards and least tolerant of lions, wild dogs and spotted hyaenas. Several factors relating to land use correlated consistently with carnivore-presence and landowner tolerance. Carnivores were more commonly present and/or tolerated where; wildlife diversity and biomass were higher; income from wildlife was higher; income from livestock was lower; livestock biomass was lower; in conservancies; game fencing was absent; and financial losses from livestock depredation were lower. Efforts to create conditions whereby the costs associated with carnivores are lowest, and which confer financial value to them are likely to be the most effective means of promoting carnivore conservation. Such conditions are achieved where land owners pool land to create conservancies where livestock are replaced with wildlife (or where livestock husbandry is improved) and where wildlife generates a significant proportion of ranch income. Additional measures, such as promoting improved livestock husbandry and educational outreach efforts may also help achieve coexistence with carnivores. Our findings provide insights into conditions more conducive to the persistence of and tolerance towards large carnivores might be increased on private (and even communal) lands in Namibia, elsewhere in southern and East Africa and other parts of the world where carnivore conservation is being attempted on private lands.

La Reserva Nacional Nonguén (RNN) es un área silvestre protegida, incorporada al SNASPE el año 2010, y que limita en parte con la ciudad de Concepción, Región del Biobío.  Evaluamos la presencia de mesomamíferos mediante estaciones olfativas y trampeo fotográfico, estimamos la abundancia relativa de las especies detectadas y estudiamos la diversidad del ensamble por medio del índice de diversidad
de Simpson. En orden decreciente de abundancia en el sitio de muestreo sumados ambos métodos las especies son: zorro culpeo (Lycalopex culpaeus), perro doméstico, pudú (Pudu pudu) y güiña (Leopardus guigna). El índice estimado revela una baja diversidad del ensamble de mesomamíferos en la RNN. Se discuten posibles efectos de la cercanía a ciudades y de la presencia de perros domésticos sobre la diversidad del ensamble de mesomamíferos.

La Grotta del Cerè (catasto n. 258 V VR) si trova nel comune di Ceredo (Sant'Anna d'Alfaedo, VR) a circa 750 m slm. Conosciuta fin dal 1735, la grotta consiste in una singola sala di 6,5x5 m. Pasa (1954), che studiò il sito, riteneva che la breccia ossifera si fosse formata in un contesto di inghiottitoio e che l'attuale apertura si fosse originata durante un secondo ciclo carsico.
Nella prospettiva di riaprire lo scavo, si è deciso di affrontare una revisione sistematica delle faune conservate presso il Museo di Storia Naturale di Verona. Lo studio dei reperti ha portato ad identificare alcuni taxa mai segnalati in precedenza nel sito (per esempio l'Homotherium) oppure a cambiare l'attribuzione tassonomica di quelli precedentemente descritti. Si riportano qui i dati preliminari riguardanti i carnivori: Canidi, Felidi e Mustelidi.
La specie più abbondante nel sito è il Canis mosbachensis Soergel, 1925, rappresentato da circa 4500 resti. L'abbondanza di resti del genere Canis permette di considerare la Grotta del Cerè uno dei siti più importanti per lo studio dell'evoluzione del genere, permettendo di affrontare un vero e proprio studio di popolazione.
Gli altri Carnivori sono rappresentati da elementi sporadici. Tra i Felidi spicca sicuramente Homotherium latidens (Owen, 1846),  rappresentato unicamente da un P4 superiore sinistro, che non era stato segnalato precedentemente nel sito. Altri Felidi presenti sono: Panthera leo (L., 1758), Panthera cf. pardus (L., 1758), Felis silvestris Schreber, 1775 e Lynx cf. spelaeus Boule, 1906.
I Mustelidae sono rappresentati da Gulo gulo (L., 1758), Mustela cf. putorius L., 1758, Martes sp. L., 1758 e Meles meles (L., 1758).
Le nuove determinazioni, con la presenza di specie come Canis mosbachensis, Ursus deningeri e Homotherium latidens, confermerebbero che la fauna rappresentata è riconducibile all'Età a Mammiferi del Galeriano e non a quella dell'Aureliano come era stato ipotizzato da alcuni Autori.
La maggior parte dei reperti è ben conservata e i carnivori sono la maggioranza delle specie rappresentate. La maggior parte degli individui sono giovani-adulti senza usura marcata dei denti. I Canidi sono oltre il 50% del totale, seguiti dai Rodentia (Marmota marmota primigenia) 12%, Ursidae 6%. Felidae e Mustelidae complessivamente sono circa l'1%. La presenza della marmotta indica che la grotta si trovava al di sopra del limite degli alberi, benchè la presenza della lince, del gatto selvatico, del tasso e del genere Martes sembra indicare la presenza di aree forestali non distanti.