engleski

Species determination of two canid skulls using craniometry and DNA analysis

Poaching is one of the main threats to the strictly protected grey wolf (Canis lupus) population in Croatia. It is generally difficult to obtain hard evidence to convict individuals suspected of illegal hunting or trading threatened species. Veterinary forensics often includes species determination from trace evidence like blood, saliva, hair or bone fragments. We report a case of species determination from two canid skulls (marked as H1 and H2). Both animals were hunted near Zagreb, Croatia in 2010. Hunter reported a legal harvest of two golden jackals (Canis aureus), but hunting inspection doubted species identification. Our task was to determine which of the three canid species present in Croatia these skulls belong to – strictly protected grey wolf, golden jackal which is a game species or a dog. Because of similar morphology and evolutionary relatedness distinguishing the three canid species is particularly difficult, even on a DNA level. For species determination we used craniometrical analysis, combined with analysis of several DNA markers - mitochondrial DNA control region, Y chromosome and MHC genes. As skulls were exposed to high temperatures during trophy preparation, DNA (extracted from tooth rooth) was damaged and aggravated DNA analysis. Both craniometrical measurements and DNA analysis suggested that the skull marked as H1 belongs to the wolf. Based on craniometrical analysis we concluded that skull marked as H2 is not a purebred jackal or a purebred wolf, while DNA analysis of maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA control region confirmed dog maternal ancestry. Due to the damaged DNA amplification of other markers was not successful and we were not able to confirm paternal ancestry of this individual.

craniometry; mitochondrial DNA; Y chrosmome; MHC genes; forensic; Canis lupus; Canis aureus; Canis lupus familiaris

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