On the trail of medieval wolves: ancient DNA, CT-based analyses and palaeopathology of a 1000-year-old wolf cranium from the Po Valley (northern Italy)
The Middle Ages represented a crucial period for the evolutionary history of wolves (Canis lupus), marked by both significant ecosystem changes, especially through the degradation of wooded landscapes and heavy persecution, that drove this species to a dramatic demographic decline. In Europe, inform...
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ftunibolognairis:oai:cris.unibo.it:11585/892344 2024-02-11T10:02:43+01:00 On the trail of medieval wolves: ancient DNA, CT-based analyses and palaeopathology of a 1000-year-old wolf cranium from the Po Valley (northern Italy) Iurino D. A. Cilli E. Caniglia R. Fabbri E. Mecozzi B. Ciucani M. M. Sardella R. Persico D. Iurino D.A. Cilli E. Caniglia R. Fabbri E. Mecozzi B. Ciucani M.M. Sardella R. Persico D. 2023 ELETTRONICO https://hdl.handle.net/11585/892344 https://doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2022.2071710 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2022.2071710 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000793930800001 volume:35 issue:6 firstpage:976 lastpage:987 numberofpages:12 journal:HISTORICAL BIOLOGY https://hdl.handle.net/11585/892344 doi:10.1080/08912963.2022.2071710 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85130232300 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2022.2071710 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess aDNA Canis lupu genetic medieval period morphology palaeopathology info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2023 ftunibolognairis https://doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2022.2071710 2024-01-17T18:00:11Z The Middle Ages represented a crucial period for the evolutionary history of wolves (Canis lupus), marked by both significant ecosystem changes, especially through the degradation of wooded landscapes and heavy persecution, that drove this species to a dramatic demographic decline. In Europe, informative and well-documented wolf remains from the Medieval Ages are exceptionally rare and are mostly represented by teeth and postcranial elements. In this study, we describe a well-preserved wolf cranium dated to ca. 967–1157 AD from the Po Valley (northern Italy). The specimen was analysed through a multidisciplinary approach including CT-based, ancient DNA, and palaeopathological analyses. Morphological and genetic data supported the assignment of this sample to Canis lupus species. CT-based analyses indicated a typical wolf-like morphology falling into the extant variability of the medium-sized subspecies C. lupus italicus, whereas palaeopathological analyses indicated a severe periodontitis. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the Po valley wolf had a unique and never described mtDNA control region haplotype, testifying variability in the ancient Italian wolf, which has now been lost. This study provides the first comprehensive description of a wolf from the Middle Ages, adding useful information for a deeper knowledge about population dynamics, variability, and diseases of this species. Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus IRIS Università degli Studi di Bologna (CRIS - Current Research Information System) Historical Biology 35 6 976 987 |
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Open Polar |
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IRIS Università degli Studi di Bologna (CRIS - Current Research Information System) |
op_collection_id |
ftunibolognairis |
language |
English |
topic |
aDNA Canis lupu genetic medieval period morphology palaeopathology |
spellingShingle |
aDNA Canis lupu genetic medieval period morphology palaeopathology Iurino D. A. Cilli E. Caniglia R. Fabbri E. Mecozzi B. Ciucani M. M. Sardella R. Persico D. On the trail of medieval wolves: ancient DNA, CT-based analyses and palaeopathology of a 1000-year-old wolf cranium from the Po Valley (northern Italy) |
topic_facet |
aDNA Canis lupu genetic medieval period morphology palaeopathology |
description |
The Middle Ages represented a crucial period for the evolutionary history of wolves (Canis lupus), marked by both significant ecosystem changes, especially through the degradation of wooded landscapes and heavy persecution, that drove this species to a dramatic demographic decline. In Europe, informative and well-documented wolf remains from the Medieval Ages are exceptionally rare and are mostly represented by teeth and postcranial elements. In this study, we describe a well-preserved wolf cranium dated to ca. 967–1157 AD from the Po Valley (northern Italy). The specimen was analysed through a multidisciplinary approach including CT-based, ancient DNA, and palaeopathological analyses. Morphological and genetic data supported the assignment of this sample to Canis lupus species. CT-based analyses indicated a typical wolf-like morphology falling into the extant variability of the medium-sized subspecies C. lupus italicus, whereas palaeopathological analyses indicated a severe periodontitis. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the Po valley wolf had a unique and never described mtDNA control region haplotype, testifying variability in the ancient Italian wolf, which has now been lost. This study provides the first comprehensive description of a wolf from the Middle Ages, adding useful information for a deeper knowledge about population dynamics, variability, and diseases of this species. |
author2 |
Iurino D.A. Cilli E. Caniglia R. Fabbri E. Mecozzi B. Ciucani M.M. Sardella R. Persico D. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Iurino D. A. Cilli E. Caniglia R. Fabbri E. Mecozzi B. Ciucani M. M. Sardella R. Persico D. |
author_facet |
Iurino D. A. Cilli E. Caniglia R. Fabbri E. Mecozzi B. Ciucani M. M. Sardella R. Persico D. |
author_sort |
Iurino D. A. |
title |
On the trail of medieval wolves: ancient DNA, CT-based analyses and palaeopathology of a 1000-year-old wolf cranium from the Po Valley (northern Italy) |
title_short |
On the trail of medieval wolves: ancient DNA, CT-based analyses and palaeopathology of a 1000-year-old wolf cranium from the Po Valley (northern Italy) |
title_full |
On the trail of medieval wolves: ancient DNA, CT-based analyses and palaeopathology of a 1000-year-old wolf cranium from the Po Valley (northern Italy) |
title_fullStr |
On the trail of medieval wolves: ancient DNA, CT-based analyses and palaeopathology of a 1000-year-old wolf cranium from the Po Valley (northern Italy) |
title_full_unstemmed |
On the trail of medieval wolves: ancient DNA, CT-based analyses and palaeopathology of a 1000-year-old wolf cranium from the Po Valley (northern Italy) |
title_sort |
on the trail of medieval wolves: ancient dna, ct-based analyses and palaeopathology of a 1000-year-old wolf cranium from the po valley (northern italy) |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/11585/892344 https://doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2022.2071710 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2022.2071710 |
genre |
Canis lupus |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000793930800001 volume:35 issue:6 firstpage:976 lastpage:987 numberofpages:12 journal:HISTORICAL BIOLOGY https://hdl.handle.net/11585/892344 doi:10.1080/08912963.2022.2071710 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85130232300 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2022.2071710 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2022.2071710 |
container_title |
Historical Biology |
container_volume |
35 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
976 |
op_container_end_page |
987 |
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1790598771475742720 |