Hybridization among the members of the dog family (Canidae)

Porodica Canidae od velikog je interesa za znanstvenike koji se bave hibridizacijom i specijacijom. Rod Canis pojavio se prije oko 5 milijuna godina te svi pripadnici sadrže 78 kromosoma u 39 parova. S obzirom da kod mlađih evolucijskih linija i dalje ne postoji potpuna reproduktivna izolacija, pripadnici različitih vrsta mogu imati plodno potomstvo, odnosno stvarati hibride. Zbog antropogenog utjecaja javljaju se hibridi pasa i divljih vrsta, što stvara probleme za konzervaciju ugroženih vrsta. U divljini su zabilježene hibridizacije domaćeg psa (C. familiaris) sa sivim vukom (C. lupus), kojotom (C. latrans) te etiopskim vukom (C. simensis). Od divljih vrsta zabilježeni su hibridi istočnog vuka (C. lycaon) i kojota, a upitan je status crvenog vuka kao hibrida kojota i sivog vuka. Prilikom istraživanja hibrida potrebna je preliminarna detekcija prema morfološkim karakteristikama, a zatim analiza mtDNA te genskih markera na autosomalnim kromosomima i Y kromosomu kako bi se ustanovio postotak genoma pojedinih roditeljskih vrsta. Hibridizacija uglavnom teče u jednom smjeru, tj. vučice se pare sa psima, a ženke kojota s vukovima, iako su detektirani slučajevi obrnutih kombinacija. U ovome su radu pobliže opisani najčešći hibridi u divljini, s naglaskom na europske i sjevernoameričke populacije pripadnika porodice pasa, s obzirom da su najviše istražene.The biological family Canidae is of great interest for scientists researching hybridization and speciation. The genus Canis appeared around 5 million years ago and all of its members have 78 chromosomes arranged in 39 pairs. Considering the fact that the reproductive isolation is not complete in younger evolutionary lines, members of different species can have fertile offspring - or hybrids. Because of anthropogenic influence, wolf-dog hybrids have appeared in the wild, which causes problems with the conservation of endangered species. Hybridizations have been reported between the domestic dog (C. familiaris) and grey wolf (C. lupus), coyote (C. latrans) and Ethiopian wolf (C. simensis). Among wild species, there have been reports of Eastern wolf-coyote (C.lycaon x C.latrans) hybrids, while the red wolf's status as a coyote-grey wolf hybrid is still questionable. While researching hybrids, a preliminary detection is neccesary using morphological characteristics, following an analysis of mtDNA, autosomal genetic markers and Y-chromosome genetic markers. Hybridization tends to be assymetrical, i.e. female wolves mating with male dogs and female coyotes mating with male wolves, although there have been cases of reverse combinations. This paper contains information about the most common hybrids in the wild, with emphasis on European and North American canid populations due to the fact there's an abundance of data from these two continents