Re: [tied] Re: Euxine Event.; DOGS

An excellent post. As for the origin of the Chihuahua, this breed seems to have originated in the far east, getting to Mexico via the Manila galleons. It's by chance only that it picked up the name of a Mexican state, and by default, became the 'national dog' of Mexico.

I am pretty sure Canis familiaris more or less co-evolved with man, towards man, but cross-breeding with local wolves: one domestication but multiple contributions from wild stock.

From: João Simões Lopes Filho

I've ever think how the understanding about dogs races evolution would be so useful to understand IE migration. What kinds of dogs the IE people carried with them? The wolfish shepherd-dogs? The molossoid mastiffs? The bracoid bloodhound-like races? The fox-like spitz?

A good article about dog genetic evolution is at SCIENCE vol 276 13-jun-1997; "MULTIPLE and ANCIENT ORIGINS OF THE DOMESTIC DOG"( Vilà, C., et alii)

The study analyzed the haplotypes of circa 20 races of dogs and 20 wolves from different places and divided them in 4 groups:

I

the main group, including only dogs

II

derived from Greek and Italian wolves, this one include only the haplotype D8 (present in Sandinavian Elghund and Jämthund)

III

derived from Arabian wolves, include the haplotypes D7 (present in Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Giant Schnauzer, Jamthund, Airedale Terrier, West Highland White Terrier and German Shepherd), D19 (present in German Shepherd) and D21 (present in Mexican hairless dog)

IV

derived from Greek, Russian and Romanian wolves, this include the haplotypes D10 (present in Wire-haired Dachshund and Flat-Coated Retriever), D24 (present in Golden Retriever) and D6/W6 (present in Romanian and Russian wolves, and in Mexican hairless, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Basset, Bulldog, Belgian Groenendael, Afghanhound, Maremman, Otterhound, Toy Poodle, Irish Water Spaniel and Tibetan Spaniel)

It's important to note that any race can have many different haplotypes. The split in 4 groups may point to four different domestications. A strong mystery to me is the origin of Aztecan races like Chihuahua and Hairless dog (Xolotzcuintl): did they come from North American wolves? From China? Egypt? Atlantis?

Joao SL