Friday, May 09, 2003
The Dog
I stayed up too late last night researching this. I was curious on what wild members of the Dog Family could produce offspring with the Domesticated Dog (gentically compatable).
Domestic Dogs, true Wolves, Coyote, true Jackals and Dingo's are close relatives and can all interbreed with each other.
Domestic dogs are most closely related to the Grey Wolf. In fact, genetically they are almost the exact same. Domestic dogs are descendents of domesticated anscesters to Grey Wolves. Biologically the Domestic Dog and Grey Wolf have grown apart (different breeding cycles, Female Wolves only go in heat once a year, domestic dog multiple times a year; Male wolves have sperm ready only once a year, male dogs have sperm always ready to go. and other physical biological differences)
Domestic Dogs and Grey wolves can interbreed and produce hybrid offspring. The offspring are fertile.
Interesting fact: The Grey Wolf is more closely related to a domestic dog than to a Coyote.
The Red Wolf in believed to be a hybrid species from a Grey Wolf and Coyote.
The Coyote and the Jackal are other close relatives to the domestic dog.
The Dingo's of Australia are ancient domestic dogs that have returned to the wild (it's really a sub-species of domestic dog).
Here are some members of the Dog Family that are not as closely related to the domestic dog and can not interbreed with the domestic dog.
The Fox.
The Racoon Dog.
The Bush Dog.
Here are some species that I don't think can produce offspring with a domestic dog, I didn't find any evidence they could. If you can find anything to the contrary please let me know.
If it is possible the offspring might be infertile, like the Mule a hybrid of horse and donkey. Infertile offspring is natures defense againts un-natural hybridization. Hybridization between species not closely related rarely happens in nature but has been done with human intervention.
African Wild Dog
Dhole
Maned Wolf
Finally here are some animals that are NOT part of the dog family but seem like they are.
Hyena
Aardwolf
I stayed up too late last night researching this. I was curious on what wild members of the Dog Family could produce offspring with the Domesticated Dog (gentically compatable).
Domestic Dogs, true Wolves, Coyote, true Jackals and Dingo's are close relatives and can all interbreed with each other.
Domestic dogs are most closely related to the Grey Wolf. In fact, genetically they are almost the exact same. Domestic dogs are descendents of domesticated anscesters to Grey Wolves. Biologically the Domestic Dog and Grey Wolf have grown apart (different breeding cycles, Female Wolves only go in heat once a year, domestic dog multiple times a year; Male wolves have sperm ready only once a year, male dogs have sperm always ready to go. and other physical biological differences)
Domestic Dogs and Grey wolves can interbreed and produce hybrid offspring. The offspring are fertile.
Interesting fact: The Grey Wolf is more closely related to a domestic dog than to a Coyote.
The Red Wolf in believed to be a hybrid species from a Grey Wolf and Coyote.
The Coyote and the Jackal are other close relatives to the domestic dog.
The Dingo's of Australia are ancient domestic dogs that have returned to the wild (it's really a sub-species of domestic dog).
Here are some members of the Dog Family that are not as closely related to the domestic dog and can not interbreed with the domestic dog.
The Fox.
The Racoon Dog.
The Bush Dog.
Here are some species that I don't think can produce offspring with a domestic dog, I didn't find any evidence they could. If you can find anything to the contrary please let me know.
If it is possible the offspring might be infertile, like the Mule a hybrid of horse and donkey. Infertile offspring is natures defense againts un-natural hybridization. Hybridization between species not closely related rarely happens in nature but has been done with human intervention.
African Wild Dog
Dhole
Maned Wolf
Finally here are some animals that are NOT part of the dog family but seem like they are.
Hyena
Aardwolf
