Laszlo, that's a fascinating suggestion -- the animals themselves don't
know what species (i.e. Linnaean taxon) they belong to, do they?! However,
the Mayr/Dobzhansky definition of species is the rock upon which all
taxonomists stand, vis., that a species is a population in which, if
panmixia were perfect, any pair could mate and produce fertile offspring,
yet not be able (physically able, that is; or inclined) to do that with
any animal outside that population.
It is because this definition is the one received by most taxonomists and
field biologists that the domestic dog was recently reclassified as Canis
lupus, i.e. conspecific with the wolf -- because not only have dogs now
been shown to descend from wolves, but introgression between the two is at
least potentially perfect. This is also what has made Mike Novacek's proof
that the Red Wolf is a "real" species, i.e. separate from Canis lupus, so
difficult.
But yes, your point is valid about domesticates tending to introgress into
wild populations. Again, the wild animal does not know it is wild, nor
either does the domesticate know it is domesticated; they just know they
are dogs, and as the wise man once said, if it looks like a dog and smells
like a dog and wags its tail like a dog, it must be a dog. Or so says --
apparently -- the stud dog who covers the coyote bitch. And thus too, we
find out recently that the Przewalski horse is actually feral and not
wild....somebody left the corral gate open a very long time ago.
I think the supreme use of mapping zones of domestic X wild hybridization
derives from the principle that after the idea of domestication arose,
wherever people went they took their animals. From this I think it would
be possible to map the movement of different tribes or cultures by mapping
the earliest probable date of hybridization of whatever animals they kept
with whatever animals they encountered along their route. Certainly one
ought to be able to get at least the direction of migration. I'd love to
see this done with dog X wolf and dog X golden jackal in Europe, as that
parallels the situation with dog X wolf and dog X coyote in North America.
Just sayin' -- Deb Bennett
> Dear All,
>
>
> I think "spontaneous hybridization" between animals (intra- or
> interspecific, as genetics allow) has rather been the norm than the
> exception throughout history. Animals tend not to care much about the
> conceptual background.
>
>
> Unless conscious human efforts are made to maintain a breed by selection
> and isolation (e.g. 19th century standards) or save an endangered species
> from the present-day concept of "genetic extinction", evolution will
> involve human products i. e. domesticates as well. How this trend has
> varied in time and space, however, tells a lot about society's diverse
> attitudes toward animals.
>
>
> A good collection of archaeological/historical examples either way will be
> warmly welcome.
>
>
> "Good hunting!" Laszlo
>
> ________________________________
> From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites
> <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Luc Janssens <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: 15 May 2018 06:13
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [ZOOARCH] animal hybridization by neglect
>
> Hello Deb and Weronika
>
> here are some refs,
>
> I would not use the word neglect in this case as it point to owners not
> taking care of their animals
>
> Not sure what a better word is but there must be ne
>
> kind regards
>
> Luc
>
> hybridisation does occur (Caniglia, et al., 2013; Khosravi, et al., 2013;
> Kopaliani, et al., 2014; Tsuda, et al., 1997; Verardi, et al., 2006; Vila,
> et al., 2003). : Freedman et al., (2014) Vila and Wayne, (1997)
>
> Op 14 mei 2018, om 22:04 heeft Deb Bennett
> <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> het volgende
> geschreven:
>
> Dear Weronika, your query is thought-provoking, and if you're working on a
> thesis for a degree, or a postdoc study, I think this is quite exciting as
> a topic. Building on Mat's comment about the Maori Kuri dog: he must mean
> that the Maori dog, brought to the islands of New Zealand originally by
> Polynesians from other places, later hybridized with dogs brought in by
> white settlers after Captain Cook. This would be domestic X domestic
> hybridization.
>
> But what about wild X domestic hybridization? There is mounting evidence
> -- and I am currently engaged upon this problem myself -- to show that
> North American coyote females are frequently covered by larger breeds of
> domestic dogs. So much so that perhaps as many as 30% of all the "coyotes"
> that one may see are actually coydogs.
>
> Canids of the genus Canis are, apparently, more able in terms of their
> genetic structure to produce offspring that are reproductively viable, so
> that a male coydog may mate with another coydog, a coyote, or a domestic
> bitch and get puppies who are also reproductively viable. In other words,
> perfect introgression is possible.
>
> Besides the coyote-dog hybridization, there has also been a long
> controversy, beginning with Mike Novacek's papers back from the 1970's, on
> whether the Red Wolf of the southern Great Plains is a "real" species or a
> hybrid. Novacek has stood firm, and I agree with him based on available
> evidence, that the Red Wolf is not a hybrid. However, it is also true that
> ordinary gray wolves often hybridize with domestic dogs; there is a
> literature on 'black dogs' which supposedly are wolf X dog hybrids from
> New England. For some reason, both coyote X dog and wolf X dog hybrids
> often have black or very dark pelage. Hope this helps. -- Dr. Deb
>
>
>
> Weronika
>
> Exactly the same thing happened with the Maori dog in New Zealand, I can
> send you some key references off line
>
> Mat
>
>
>
> *From:* Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites <
> [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> *On Behalf Of
> *Weronika Tomczyk
> *Sent:* Monday, 14 May 2018 3:19 PM
> *To:* [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> *Subject:* [ZOOARCH] animal hybridization by neglect
>
>
>
> Dear Zooarchers,
>
>
>
> Recently I have been wondering about the examples of animal hybridization
> (mainly mammals) caused not by intentional human action, but rather due to
> negligence or ignorance. So far I know that modern camelids are actually
> hybrids of pre-Conquest species and that British Columbia's Salish Wool
> Dog
> disappeared in the colonial times due to the lack of controlled breeding
> and intermixing with other dogs. Does anybody know any other examples or
> can recommend some literature? All comments will be greatly appreciated.
>
>
>
> All the best,
>
> Weronika
>
>
>
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