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Scientists have discovered the closest relative of domestic dogs
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Modern domestic dogs evolved from a species of gray wolf that does not exist today /
Japanese biologists said they had found the closest relative of domestic dogs. According to scientists, it became extinct quite recently. The results of the corresponding study were published on Thursday, October 21 in the journal PHYS.org.
The document says that the ancestor of modern dogs was the Japanese wolf (Canis lupus hodophilax).
It is a subspecies of the gray wolf and once lived on the islands of modern Japan. The last member of this species was killed in 1905.
Experts came to such conclusions by examining DNA from bone samples of this animal.
“By comparing the DNA of the Japanese wolf to that of other wolves and dogs, as well as foxes, the researchers found that this DNA resides on a unique evolutionary lineage of wolves that originated somewhere between 20,000 and 40,000 years ago. Some of these ancient wolves evolved into Japanese wolves, and others into dogs, “the scientists said.
New evidence suggests that the dog’s ancestor lived in East Asia (and not in the Middle East or Europe as previously thought) and this wolf line later migrated to Japan.
The scientists also noted that New Guinea singing dogs and dingoes have the highest amount of Japanese wolf DNA of any modern species, suggesting that the wolf migrated long distances.
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phys.org/ Japanese wolf
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As a reminder, South Korean President Moon Jae In came up with an initiative banning the consumption of dogs in the country.
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