Morphometric variation in wolves and golden jackal in India (Mammalia, Carnivora)
Species of Canis (Carnivora, Canidae) have similar morphology and distinguishing sympatric species is challenging. We present data on morphometry of skull, body and hair of three wild Canis species that occur in India, which include two wolves (Indian wolf, Canis lupus pallipes; and Himalayan wolf,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Pensoft Publishers
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Biodiversity Data Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://bdj.pensoft.net/article/67677/download/pdf/ |
| _version_ | 1811328593921310720 |
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| author | Yellapu Srinivas Yadvendradev Jhala |
| author_facet | Yellapu Srinivas Yadvendradev Jhala |
| author_sort | Yellapu Srinivas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Species of Canis (Carnivora, Canidae) have similar morphology and distinguishing sympatric species is challenging. We present data on morphometry of skull, body and hair of three wild Canis species that occur in India, which include two wolves (Indian wolf, Canis lupus pallipes; and Himalayan wolf, Canis himalayensis) and the golden jackal (Canis aureus). A total of 20 cranial and six body measurements and microscopic characteristics of guard hair were analysed, using multivariate ordination to differentiate between species. Cranial measures of the Himalayan wolves were found to be the largest followed by Indian wolves and golden jackals. However, many measures overlapped amongst the three species. Two Principal Components each, for body measures and cranial measures, explained 86 and 91% of the variation in the data, respectively. These Components discriminated the two wolves from golden jackals, but could not distinguish between wolves. Hair medullary patterns were simple and wide type, whereas hair cuticular patterns showed crenate scale margins, near scale distance and irregular wavey scale patterns for all Canis taxa and were not useful to distinguish species. Data reported in this study further contribute to the existing global data on wild canids for a holistic understanding of the variation within the genus and show that distinguishing between all sympatric species from morphology alone may not be possible. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T15:28:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7428ad093d86452d8c4d6f16a2ba28e7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1314-2828 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T15:28:48Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | Pensoft Publishers |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biodiversity Data Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-7428ad093d86452d8c4d6f16a2ba28e72022-12-22T02:41:26ZengPensoft PublishersBiodiversity Data Journal1314-28282021-08-01911410.3897/BDJ.9.e6767767677Morphometric variation in wolves and golden jackal in India (Mammalia, Carnivora)Yellapu Srinivas0Yadvendradev Jhala1Wildlife Institute of IndiaWildlife Institute of IndiaSpecies of Canis (Carnivora, Canidae) have similar morphology and distinguishing sympatric species is challenging. We present data on morphometry of skull, body and hair of three wild Canis species that occur in India, which include two wolves (Indian wolf, Canis lupus pallipes; and Himalayan wolf, Canis himalayensis) and the golden jackal (Canis aureus). A total of 20 cranial and six body measurements and microscopic characteristics of guard hair were analysed, using multivariate ordination to differentiate between species. Cranial measures of the Himalayan wolves were found to be the largest followed by Indian wolves and golden jackals. However, many measures overlapped amongst the three species. Two Principal Components each, for body measures and cranial measures, explained 86 and 91% of the variation in the data, respectively. These Components discriminated the two wolves from golden jackals, but could not distinguish between wolves. Hair medullary patterns were simple and wide type, whereas hair cuticular patterns showed crenate scale margins, near scale distance and irregular wavey scale patterns for all Canis taxa and were not useful to distinguish species. Data reported in this study further contribute to the existing global data on wild canids for a holistic understanding of the variation within the genus and show that distinguishing between all sympatric species from morphology alone may not be possible.https://bdj.pensoft.net/article/67677/download/pdf/canidscraniumhairforensicsPrincipal Compon |
| spellingShingle | Yellapu Srinivas Yadvendradev Jhala Morphometric variation in wolves and golden jackal in India (Mammalia, Carnivora) Biodiversity Data Journal canids cranium hair forensics Principal Compon |
| title | Morphometric variation in wolves and golden jackal in India (Mammalia, Carnivora) |
| title_full | Morphometric variation in wolves and golden jackal in India (Mammalia, Carnivora) |
| title_fullStr | Morphometric variation in wolves and golden jackal in India (Mammalia, Carnivora) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Morphometric variation in wolves and golden jackal in India (Mammalia, Carnivora) |
| title_short | Morphometric variation in wolves and golden jackal in India (Mammalia, Carnivora) |
| title_sort | morphometric variation in wolves and golden jackal in india mammalia carnivora |
| topic | canids cranium hair forensics Principal Compon |
| url | https://bdj.pensoft.net/article/67677/download/pdf/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yellapusrinivas morphometricvariationinwolvesandgoldenjackalinindiamammaliacarnivora AT yadvendradevjhala morphometricvariationinwolvesandgoldenjackalinindiamammaliacarnivora |