Domestication of the dog and . . .

1. Domestication of the dog and . . . From: The Ultimate Dog Book

2. . . . cat

3. Objectives • Discuss the origin and development of domestic dogs and cats • Taxonomy of the dog and cat • Archeological evidence • Recent DNA based evidence

4. Origin of Carnivores • Miacids (Miacidae family) • 62 million years ago • Small, tree-dwelling • Plantigrade • Carnassial teeth • Miacids viverines (cats) miacines (dogs)

5. Traditional Taxonomy of the Dog and Cat • Phylum – Animalia • Class – Mammalia • Order – Carnivora • Suborder – Fissipedia • Families – Canidae • Genus – Canis • Species – Canis familiaris • Families – Felidae • Genus – Felis • Species – Felis catus

6. Taxonomy • Systematized 0rganization of Life • In a state of flux • Criteria used to determine groupings: • physical/skeletal similarities • ability to intermate - produce fertile offspring • similarity of chromosomes • gene homology

7. Terminology • Wild • Tame • Opportunist • Domestic • Feral

8. Major Questions on the Origin of Domestic Species • Where were they domesticated • When, i.e. how long ago • What species were they domesticated from • Did it happen separately in multiple places and at different times? • Multiple species? • One species, with multiple admixtures of the founding species?

9. Origin of the Cat • Are first to be covered • But were they the first animal to be domesticated? • miacids • viverines & miacines – 30 mya • large prehistoric cats (Smilodon) • dinictis – a small cat • modern cat

10. Taxonomy of the Cat • Phylum – Animalia • Class – Mammalia • Order – Carnivora • Family – Felidae • Genus – Felis • Species – catus

11. Origin of the Cat Big versus Small Cats – 36 species • Felis – small cats; 13 genera • Lynx – (obsolete?) • Pantera – large cats; 4 genera • Acinonyx – cheetah; 1 genus

12. Origin of the Cat Domestic cat and some relatives: Common name Chromosome number Domestic cat Tiger Cheetah Ocelot & Geoffrey’s Cat 38 38 38 36

14. Origin of the Cat • Fewer physical changes than many domesticated animals • High homology • Most cats - 19 pairs of chromosomes • Striped • Greater variety in eye color than dogs • yellow, green, gold, & blue

15. CITES • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species • http://www.cites.org • regulates international trade of selected species • ~5000 animal species • ~25000 plant species

16. Origin of the Domestic Cat • 9500 ya – Cyprus • 4500 BC – Egypt • utilitarian – mouser • spiritual – diety

17. Origin of the Domestic Cat • African Wildcat – Felis silvestris lybica • Africa, slight build and stripes • European Wildcat – Felis silvestris silvestris • Scotland to SE Russia, stocky, distinct stripes • Were cats domesticated in Egypt or also possibly in the Orient as well? • Very recent molecular genetic data • Domestic cat – Felis catus - worldwide

18. Ancestors of Domestic Cats European Wildcat African Wildcat

19. European Wildcat Ancestors of Domestic Cats Domestic Cat African Wildcat

20. History of Domestic Cats • Cat goddess worshipped in ancient Egypt - Bastet - approx. 4,500 yr. ago • Cat mummies found - especially in area of Bubastis in Nile Delta • Domestic cats likely moved to Italy and other parts of Europe as a result of trade

21. History of Domestic Cats French astronomer Lalende put a cat constellation in the sky. (It looks like a nutria to me.)

22. Nutrias

25. Origin of the Dog • Origin of domestic dogs - fox, wolf, coyote? • Criteria used to determine origin: • physical/skeletal similarities • ability to intermate - produce fertile offspring • similarity of chromosomes • gene homology

27. Origin of the Dog Members of the Canidae family:

28. Australian dingo

29. Origin of the Domestic Dog • Recent thinking was - dog, jackel, dingo all developed from the wolf : • structurally similar • all of these will intermate - producing fertile offspring • same chromosome number • karyotyping shows complete similarity of chromosomes

30. Origin of the Domestic Dog • Wolf => Dog • natural genetic variability • natural selection - disposition • artificial selection and breeding • disposition • appearance • function

31. Origin of the Domestic Dog • Wolf – Canis lupus • European wolf – Canis lupus lupus • Alaskan timber wolf – Canis lupus pambasileus • Red wolf – Canis (lupus?) rufus • Domestic dog – Canis lupus familiaris

33. Conclusions • Canis familiaris was domesticated from the wolf ~ 15,000 ya • Domestication occurred in east Asia

35. Conclusions • Dingos derived from domestic dogs • Came to Australia 5000 ya • Possibly a one time occurrence • Have been a distinct population since • Are dingos domestic or feral?

36. What breed of dog is seen in this picture?

37. Answer • Large Munsterlander