Variation in fur farm and wild populations of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes (Carnivora: Canidae). Part II: Craniometry

Abstract

The skulls of 165 red foxes (75 wild and 90 farm-bred individuals) collected in Poland in the years 2012-2014 were measured, analysed, and compared to further investigate the effect of ancestry and selective breeding on craniometrical variation between wild and farm red fox populations. Univariate comparisons of skull measurements (19 cranial traits), as well as four craniometric indices, revealed significant differences among vast majority of the studied measurements. Principal component analyses and two-dimensional plots showed almost complete separation of the two studied populations of the red fox, as well as clear separation of sexes between populations and within the farm population. This may suggest that the selective forces (artificial vs. natural selection) acting upon cranial morphology of the red fox vary between wild and farm populations. Furthermore, the second important factor which cannot be ignored when considering morphological differences between wild and farm foxes is the origin of compared populations (the Eurasian wild red fox population vs. the red foxes of North American origina founder population of farm foxes). Thus, the ancestry of the farm foxes is discussed as well. Résumé : Les crânes de 165 renards roux (75 sauvages et 90 d'élevage) collectés en Pologne dans les années 2012 à 2014 ont été mesurés, analysés et comparés pour étudier davantage les effets d'ascendance et de reproduction sélective sur les variations craniométriques entre les populations de renards roux sauvages et d'élevage. Les comparaisons unidimensionnelles des mesures de crânes (19 caractéristiques crâniennes) ainsi que quatre indices craniométriques ont révélé des différences significatives dans la vaste majorité des mesures étudiées. Des analyses en composantes principales et des graphiques en deux dimensions montraient une séparation presque complète des deux populations étudiées de renard roux ainsi qu'une séparation nette des sexes entre les populations, et à l'intérieure de la population d'élevage. Ceci pourrait suggérer que les forces de sélection (sélection artificielle c. naturelle) qui agissent sur la morphologie du crâne des renards roux varient entre les populations sauvages et d'élevage. De plus, le deuxième facteur important qui ne peut pas être ignoré lors de la considération des différences morphologiques entre les renards sauvages et d'élevage est l'origine des populations comparées (la population eurasienne de renards roux sauvages c. les renards roux d'origine nord-américaineune population fondatrice des renards d'élevage). Donc, l'ascendance des renards d'élevage est discutée aussi. [Traduit par la Rédaction]Mots-clés : craniométrie, renard roux d'élevage, renard roux sauvage, Vulpes vulpes.

Admixture analyses and phylogeographic relationships reveal complete genetic distinctiveness of Polish farm and wild red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and the North American origin of farm‐bred individuals

“…If the farm population originated from North American red foxes, then the admixture analysis would show a higher level of non‐native alleles (imported from North America) and a lack or low level of alleles of Eurasian origin. Earlier morphological studies and preliminary results of microsatellite markers analysis (Zatoń‐Dobrowolska et al., , ) have suggested that the origin of foxes and selective breeding played a significant role in the differentiation of morphological traits in Polish farm‐ and wild red foxes. However, to the best of our knowledge, only Jeżewska‐Witkowska et al.…”

“…Extensive comparative research taking into account both morphological traits and molecular markers (microsatellites and mtDNA) has recently been carried out by Zatoń‐Dobrowolska et al. () and Zatoń‐Dobrowolska, Moska, Mucha, Wierzbicki, and Dobrowolski (), who investigated the effect of ancestry and selective breeding on morphological differences between wild‐ and farm‐bred red fox populations in Poland. They found significant differences among the vast majority of the body, cranial and dental measurements studied.…”

“…Zatoń-Dobrowolska, Moska, Mucha, Wierzbicki, and Dobrowolski (2018), who investigated the effect of ancestry and selective breeding on morphological differences between wild-and farm-bred red fox populations in Poland. They found significant differences among the vast majority of the body, cranial and dental measurements studied.…”

Geometric morphometric investigation of craniofacial morphological change in domesticated silver foxes

“…Sexual dimorphism comparisons. Sexual dimorphism within a species is often represented as dimorphism in size as well as shape 25 . Therefore, in contrast to the previous analyses, we assess the degree of sexual dimorphism in both size and shape.…”

Tilki (Vulpes vulpes) Cervical Vertebrae'nın Morfometrik Özelliklerinin Üç Boyutlu Rekonstrüksiyon Kullanarak İncelenmesi

“…Yapılan literatür araştırmalarında kızıl tilki osteolojisi üzerindeki çalışmaların genellikle cranium ve appendicular iskelet üzerinde olduğu görülmüştür. Örneğin; kemik üzerinden craniometrik ve osteometrik ölçümlerin yapıldığı (16,17), appendicular iskeletin morfolojisi ve morfometrisinin (18) ortaya konulduğu, vücudunun ve cranium'unun morfometrik ölçümlerinin (15,19) alındığı, scapula'sının 3B rekonstrüksiyonu üzerinden morfometrik ölçümlerinin yapıldığı (20) çalışmalardır. Fakat columna vertebralis'in 3B rekonstrüksiyonun ortaya konulduğu ve morfometrik ölçümlerinin gerçekleştiği herhangi bir çalışmaya rastlanılmamıştır.Bu çalışma MDBT görüntüleri kullanarak üç boyutlu bilgisayar programı aracılığı ile elde edilen 3B rekonstrüksiyonlara dayanarak tilki cervical vertebrae'nın morfometrik özelliklerinin belirlenmesi amacıyla yapılmıştır.…”