Case Study 2: Gray Wolves Sub-Species Canis lupus has 39 subspecies currently described, including two subspecies of domestic dog, Canis lupus dingo and Canis lupus familiaris, and many subspecies of wolf throughout the Northern hemisphere. Domestic dogs show a great deal of trait variation between different breeds. Likewise, wolves show a great deal of trait variation between sub-species, though they can interbreed. The Zoological Gardens of London for example once successfully managed to mate a male European wolf to an Indian female wolf, resulting in a pup bearing an almost exact likeness to its father. Wild wolves of the Canis lupus species historically ranged over most of the Northwern Hemisphere. There historical range is shown in the map below. Green represents their present range, and red represents where they have been extirpated from (no longer exist in that region). This reduced range is believed to be largely due to human impacts such as hunting, urbanization, ecosystem fragmentation, and intentional eradication of native wolf populations in the past. Other factors that may have led to the reduced range of wolves inlcude polluation, climate change, and extripation of native prey species. Populations of wolves are not all identical. Scientists have classified different populatons of wolves by the physical traits, behavioral traits, their DNA, and where they are found in the wild. They classify these populations as sub-species1. A sub- species is kind of similar to a “breed” for domestic dog. But unlike domestic dogs, these sub-species were not selectively bred by humans to have different physical traits. The following map shows the historic range of some of these sub-species. Though these sub-species were not selectively bred by humans to have different physical traits, there are different traits apparent between different sub-species that scientists use to them apart. 1 The most recent comprehensive review (in October 2012) of the genetics studies concluded that the red wolf, eastern wolf, and gray wolf should be re-classified as three distinct species, instead of as sub-species of Canis lupus. Predict • Will there be a relationship between the size of a wolf sub-species and the environments in which they live? ______ • Will there be a relationship between the fur coloration in a wolf sub-species and the environments in which they live? ______ • Will there be a relationship between the fur length in wolf sub-species and the environments in which they live? ______ • Will there be a relationship between the preferred pack size in a wolf sub-species and the environments in which they live? ______ Explain your predictions:_________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Procedure 1. Your teacher will assign you to a research team. Which trait are you researching?__________________________ 2. Each member should use analyze the attached data packet. Study the data for your assigned trait and the related enviornments for each sub-species of wolf. You may highlight and annotate the data packet. Each member should help summarize the findings in this table: Question to Is there a relationship between the trait you were assigned and the environments in which these wolves live? Investigate Discoveries your group made 3. The group should create/add an additional new key for the map below to represent showdifferent variations of their trait and then use this key to annotte the map, showing where these variations are found. This is a map the group will present to class to support their claims. • Skeletal structure (based on length & height: Your group map should show where (a) smaller vs. (b) larger wolf sub-species are found. • Fur color: Your group map should show where (a) whitish, (b) tan/yellowish, and c) darker furred sub-species of wolves are found. • Fur length: Your group map should show where (a) shorter vs. (b) longer haired wolf sub-species are found. • Preferred pack size: Your group map should show where (a) smallest vs. (b) largest pack sizes are found. 4. Before presenting, the group should make a claim based on their analysis of the data. For this trait, do the variations between sub-species appear to be result of genetic drift or the result of natural selection? The group fill in the first row below. 5. As each group presents, make sure to record the claim of the group, whether their map/model supports their claim, and the reasons the additional reasoning the group provided to support their claim. Trait this group Claim: Was the pattern Did the map/model What additional reasoning did the group provide to studied due to natural selection support this claim? support their claim? or due to genetic drift? Data Packet for Canis lupus subspecies [Subspecies as of 2005: images modified from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subspecies_of_Canis_lupus and related links to these sub-species within wiki-pedia] Subspecies Trait Descriptions Range Habitat & Food Tundra wolf Physical Traits European and Habitat Canis lupus albus • Weight: 81-115 lbs. Asian parts of Tundra • Length 44-54 inches from nose to tip of tail Russia and • Height: 28-38 inches at the shoulder. Kamchatka and far Food sources • The fur is very long, dense, fluffy and soft northern Reinder, snow • Fur is very light in color. The lower fur is lead-grey and the upper fur is reddish-grey. Scandinavia. sheep, hares, and artic foxes Behavioral Traits • Tends to form packs of 5-7 members. Arabian wolf Physical Traits Southern Israel, Habitat Canis lupus arabs • Weight ~40 lbs. Southern and Deserts • Length: N/A western Iraq, • Height: 26 inches average Oman, Yemen, Food sources • Pale tan fur often with darker spots. Jordan, Saudi Dorcas, Gazelles, • Its fur is very short in the summer and longer in the winter, though not as long as Arabia. Ibexes, hares, and northern subspecies. small rodents. • Smaller head than other sub-species. Unique among canis lupas due to the middle two toes of their paws being fused. Behavioral Traits • Do not usually live in large packs, and instead hunt in groups of 2-4. This subspecies is not known to howl. Arctic wolf Physical Traits Far northern Habitat Canis lupus arctos • Weight: 75-125 lbs. Canadian Artic and Tundra • Length: 34 51 inches from nose to tip of tail far northern • Height: 25-31 inches at the shoulder. Greenland Food sources • White or off-white fur Caribou, muskoxen, • Thick, thoroughly insulated fur. artic hares, seals, • ptarmigan, Behavioral Traits lemmings, • Travel in packs of 2 to 20. They can survive in sub-zero temperatures for years, in waterfowl. absolute darkness for five months per year, and without food for weeks. Subspecies Trait Descriptions Range Habitat & Food Mexican wolf Physical Traits Northern Mexico, Habitat Canis lupus baileyi • Weight: 60–82 lbs. western Texas, Forests, Grasslands • Length: 48-60 inches from nose to tip of tail southern New and Scrublands • Widths: 26-32 inches at the shoulder. Mexico, and • The pelt contains a mix of grey, black, brown, and rust colors in a characteristic pattern, southeastern and Food sources with white under parts. central Arizona. Elk, deer, javelin, • Shorter fur than northern sub-species. rabbits, and other small mammals Behavioral Traits • 3-5 wolves per pack. Historical pack sizes were reported to be 3-8 wolves. Red wolf Physical Traits Eastern North Habitat formerly Canis lupus rufus • Weight: ~54 lbs. Carolina Forests, swamps, now Canis rufus • Length: 44–65 inches from nose to tip of tail. and coastal prairies • Height: 26–31 inches at the shoulder. Historical range • A red wolf's coat is long and coarse; was larger: south- Food sources • Has a brownish pelt, with grey and black shading on the back and tail. Black fur used eastern United Small mammals to occur and such individuals were more common in Florida and in western areas. States from Texas such as rabbits and • Disproportionately long legs & large ears are two obvious features that separate red to Florida to New rodents. Also known wolves from coyotes and gray wolves York to eat insects, berries and Behavioral Traits occasionally deer. • Hunts alone or in small packs of 2-10 wolves. Packs include the breeding adult pair and their offspring. Red wolves tend to form pair bonds for life. Egyptian Wolf Physical Traits Northern Egypt, the Habitat Canis aureus lupaste • Weight: 22-35 lbs. Ethiopian Deserts, desert • Length: 51-64 inches from nose to tip of tail. highlands, and highlands and Nile • Height: 16-20 inches at the shoulder. Northeastern Libya. river valley • Often described as lanky; It is longer limbed than other subspecies of wolf. • Fur coat is thin Food sources • Coat is tinged with gray, beige, orange-ish or a dirty yellow color fur. Northern of El- Faiyum: lives on Behavioral Traits fish caught in • Travels alone or in pairs. shallow water. In Nile Valley and Delta if feeds on cultivated crops and domestic animals. Subspecies Trait Descriptions Range Habitat & Food Great Plains wolf Physical Traits It currently inhabits Habitat Canis lupus lycaon • Weight 60-110 lbs. the western Great Forest, Prairie, • Length: 54-78 inches from nose to tip of tail. Lakes region of the Plains • Height: N/A United States and • Often described as skinnier than the gray wolf and has a more coyote-like appearance. Canada. Food sources • Coat may be gray, black or tan with red-ish coloring. White-tailed deer, One well-studied moose, beaver, Behavioral Traits ecosystem these snowshoe hare, and • Travels in packs of 5-6 wolves wolves have been smaller birds and studied in is Isle rodents. Royale in Lake Superior. Mackenzie Valley wolf Physical Traits Parts of the western Habitat Canis lupus occidentalis • Weight 100-45 lbs. U.S and much of Mountains, Forest • Length: 60-84 inches from nose to tip of tail.