Wolf body mass cline across Minnesota related to taxonomy?

Canadian Journal of Zoology
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Abstract

Recent genetic studies suggest that in northern Minnesota two species of wolves (Canis lupus L., 1758 or western wolf and Canis lycaon Schreber, 1775 (= Canis rufus Audubon and Bachman, 1851) or eastern wolf) meet and hybridize. However, little morphological information is available about these two types of wolves in Minnesota. We analyzed the mass of 950 female wolves and 1006 males older than 1 year from across northern Minnesota and found that it increased from 26.30 ?? 0.56 kg (mean ?? SE) for females and 30.60 ?? 0.72 kg for males in northeastern Minnesota to 30.01 ?? 0.43 kg for females and 35.94 ?? 0.45 kg for males in northwestern Minnesota (females: r2 = 0.79, P < 0.02; males: r2 = 0.63, P = 0.06). These mass differences add morphological information to the identities of eastern and western wolves and support the view that ranges of the two species meet in Minnesota. ?? 2008 NRC.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Wolf body mass cline across Minnesota related to taxonomy?
Series title Canadian Journal of Zoology
DOI 10.1139/Z08-068
Volume 86
Issue 8
Year Published 2008
Language English
Contributing office(s) Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Description 4 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Canadian Journal of Zoology
First page 933
Last page 936
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