Himalayan wolf

Himalayan wolf
Himalayan wolf in the Upper Mustang region of Annapurna Conservation Area in Nepal
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species:
C. lupus
Subspecies:
C. l. chanco
Trinomial name
Canis lupus chanco
Gray, 1863[2]
Himalayan wolf distribution (red dots in highlands) compared with the holarctic grey wolf (blue dots in lowlands)[3]

The Himalayan wolf (Canis lupus chanco)[4] is a canine of debated taxonomy.[3] It is distinguished by its genetic markers, with mitochondrial DNA indicating that it is genetically basal to the Holarctic grey wolf, genetically the same wolf as the Tibetan and Mongolian wolf,[5][6][3] and has an association with the African wolf (Canis lupaster).[7][6][3] No striking morphological differences are seen between the wolves from the Himalayas and those from Tibet.[8] The Himalayan wolf lineage can be found living in Ladakh in the Himalayas, the Tibetan Plateau,[9][10] and the mountains of Central Asia[10] predominantly above 4,000 m (13,000 ft) in elevation because it has adapted to a low-oxygen environment, compared with other wolves that are found only at lower elevations.[9]

Some authors have proposed the reclassification of this lineage as a separate species.[11][12] In 2019, a workshop hosted by the IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group noted that the Himalayan wolf's distribution included the Himalayan range and the Tibetan Plateau. The group recommends that this wolf lineage be known as the "Himalayan wolf" and be classified as Canis lupus chanco until a genetic analysis of the holotypes is available. The Himalayan wolf lacks a proper morphological analysis.[4] The wolves in India and Nepal are listed on CITES Appendix I as endangered due to international trade.[13]

  1. ^ Werhahn, G.; Hennelly, M.; Lyngdoh, S.J.; Habib, B.; Viranta, S.; Shrotriya, S. (2023). "Canis lupus ssp. chanco". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023: e.T223987824A223987841. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T223987824A223987841.en. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference gray1863 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference werhahn2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Alvares2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference ersmark2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference werhahn2017 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference koepfli2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference shrotriya2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Werhahn2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Joshi2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference aggarwal2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference aggarwal2007b was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference CITES was invoked but never defined (see the help page).