White and other fur colourations and hybridization in golden jackals (Canis aureus) in the Carpathian basin

The golden jackal ( Canis aureus ) is a reoccurring species in the centre of the Carpathian basin, in Hungary. In total, 31 golden jackal tissue samples were collected, from 8 white-coated, 2 black-coated and one mottled animal across Hungary. Sequences and fragment length polymorphisms were studied...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2023-12, Vol.13 (1), p.21969-21969, Article 21969
Main Authors: Ninausz, Nóra, Fehér, Péter, Csányi, Erika, Heltai, Miklós, Szabó, László, Barta, Endre, Kemenszky, Péter, Sándor, Gyula, Jánoska, Ferenc, Horváth, Mihály, Kusza, Szilvia, Frank, Krisztián, Varga, László, Stéger, Viktor
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
631/158/672
631/208/457
631/208/720
Animals
Canidae
Canis aureus
Coloration
Gene deletion
Genetic screening
Humanities and Social Sciences
Hybridization
Hybrids
multidisciplinary
Mutation
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The golden jackal ( Canis aureus ) is a reoccurring species in the centre of the Carpathian basin, in Hungary. In total, 31 golden jackal tissue samples were collected, from 8 white-coated, 2 black-coated and one mottled animal across Hungary. Sequences and fragment length polymorphisms were studied for white colour (MC1R), and for black coat colouration (CBD103). In each white animal, the most widespread mutation causing white fur colour in dogs in homozygous form was detected. Three animals were found to carry the mutation in heterozygous form. The two black golden jackals were heterozygous for the 3 bp deletion in CBD103 that mutation for black coat colouration in dogs, and one of them also carried the mutation causing white fur. None of the white animals showed signs of hybridization, but both the black and the mottled coloured individuals were found to be hybrids based on genetic testing. Kinship was found three times, twice between white animals, and once between a white animal and an agouti animal carrying the mutation of white coat. Our results confirm the findings that golden jackal – dog hybrids may occur without human intervention, and the detected mutation causing white fur colour in golden jackals could possibly be due to an early hybridization event.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-023-49265-0