The skull shape of Canis lupus. A study of wolf and dog cranial morphology

• Main Authors: Blázquez Orta, Raquel, Rodríguez, Laura, Galindo Pellicena, María Ángeles, Gaspar Simón, Ignacio De, García García, Nuria
• Other Authors: Fiore, Ivana, Lugli, Francesca
• Format: Book Part
• Language: English
• Published: Archaeopress 2023
• Subjects: 599.742.11; domestication; Canis lupus; morphometry; skull; Pleistocene; Mamíferos; 2401.01 Anatomía Animal
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/88285; https://doi.org/10.32028/9781803273549; https://www.archaeopress.com/Archaeopress/download/9781803273549

The aim of this research is to analyse craniomandibular features in contemporary wolves and dogs in order to study evolutionary changes that are assumed to be related to domestication. We compared these modern canids with four fossils from different Upper Pleistocene (Grotta Romanelli, Terrasses de la Riera dels Canyars) and Holocene (Portalón) sites of the Mediterranean region. The specimens were analysed using both traditional and geometric (2D) morphometric techniques. Our results characterise wolves’ greater mandible size (dental series), greater cranial width and length, and less elongated snout. Depto. de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y Paleontología Sección Deptal. de Anatomía y Embriología (Veterinaria) Fac. de Ciencias Geológicas Fac. de Veterinaria TRUE Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad pub