Tooth variability in Pleistocene and recent dhole, Cuon alpinus (Carnivora, Canidae)
| Pages | 339–361 |
|---|---|
| DOI | 10.37520/fi.2024.026 |
| Keywords | Cuon alpinus, teeth, palaeontology, geographic variability |
| Type of Article | Peer-reviewed |
| Citation | BARYSHNIKOV, Gennady F. a PUZACHENKO, Andrey Yu.. Tooth variability in Pleistocene and recent dhole, Cuon alpinus (Carnivora, Canidae). Fossil Imprint / Acta Musei Nationalis Pragae, Series B – Historia Naturalis. Prague: National Museum, 2024, 80(2), 339–361. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37520/fi.2024.026. ISSN 2533-4050 (tisk), 2533-4069 (online). Also available from: https://publikace.nm.cz/en/periodicals/fossil-imprint-acta-musei-nationalis-pragae-series-b-historia-naturalis/80-2/tooth-variability-in-pleistocene-and-recent-dhole-cuon-alpinus-carnivora-canidae |
The morphometric variability of the canines and cheek teeth of the fossil and modern dhole (Cuon alpinus) is considered. It was not possible to detect sexual size dimorphism in the species. Geographical variability of dental parameters established two taxon groups: northern, which included two subspecies (C. a. alpinus, C. a. hesperius), and southern, which includes all other recent subspecies. Within the southern group, animals of Southeast Asia (Malacca, Sumatra, and Java) are distinguished by their smaller size. The dhole from the Late Pleistocene of Europe (C. a. europaeus) is close in dental characteristics to representatives of the northern group, and the Late Pleistocene fossil dhole from North America (Mexico) is close to the modern nominotypic subspecies C. a. alpinus. A hypothesis of early, mid-Pleistocene divergence between dholes from the north and north-west of the range and dholes from Southeast Asia is formulated.
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