WolfQuest

Posted: **Tue May 24, 2016 10:49 am**

Necessary or unnecessary?

Why the eastern coyote should be a separate species: the ‘coywolf’
May 11, 2016 8.50pm EDT
Jonathan G. Way
The Conservation

In the paper, we suggest that coywolf is the most accurate term for this animal and that they warrant new species status, Canis oriens, which literally means eastern canid in Latin. We based this on the fact that they are physically and genetically distinct from their parental species of mainly western coyotes (Canis latrans) and eastern wolves (Canis lycaon). They also have smaller amounts of gray wolf (Canis lupus) and domestic dog (Canis familiaris) genes . . . [T]he coywolf is about 60 percent coyote, 30 percent wolf, and 10 percent dog; thus, nearly 40 percent of this animal is not coyote.

Read the full-article here:
https://theconversation.com/why-the-eas ... wolf-59214

Northeastern coyote/coywolf taxonomy and admixture: A meta-analysis

Posted: **Tue May 24, 2016 2:01 pm**

Unnecessary, in my opinion. I feel that if anything, eastern coyotes should just be labeled as hybrids and not their own species. Too much variation in their genes for me to see them as a completely isolated population. I just can't consider an animal that is a variable mix of three different species to be its own species. Not everything can have a pretty little label for it.

Maybe once the population stabilizes and DNA analysis shows that these coyotes are genetically similar to one another and are distinct from other coyote populations, then I may consider it.

Posted: **Wed May 25, 2016 12:15 am**

I don't think it should be a separate species; it's just a hybrid after all.

Posted: **Sat May 28, 2016 8:36 pm**

I agree with Kiv, it seems too muddled at the moment, but I do like the fact that they're thinking about it. It's important for change to be considered and I always find discussions on taxonomy interesting to follow.

Posted: **Sun May 29, 2016 12:29 pm**

I agree that the cognizance towards its makeup is appreciated, but what they suggest may encourage further recognition of hybrids as distinct species which I also agree is unnecessary.

WolfQuest

Eastern coyote "should be a separate species"

Eastern coyote "should be a separate species"

Re: Eastern coyote "should be a separate species"

Re: Eastern coyote "should be a separate species"

Re: Eastern coyote "should be a separate species"

Re: Eastern coyote "should be a separate species"