Tracing back animal domestication in Iberia: Clues from zooarchaeology and DNA analysis

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New insights into the genetic composition and phylogenetic relationship of wolves and dogs in the Iberian Peninsula

Publication . Pires, Ana Elisabete; Amorim, Isabel R.; Borges, Carla; Simões, Fernanda; Teixeira, Tatiana; Quaresma, Andreia; Petrucci-Fonseca, Francisco; Matos, José

This study investigates the gene pool of Portuguese autochthonous dog breeds and their wild counterpart, the Iberian wolf subspecies (Canis lupus signatus), using standard molecular markers. A combination of paternal and maternal molecular markers was used to investigate the genetic composition, genetic differentiation and genetic relationship of native Portuguese dogs and the Iberian wolf. A total of 196 unrelated dogs, including breed and village dogs from Portugal, and other dogs from Spain and North Africa, and 56 Iberian wolves (wild and captive) were analyzed for nuclear markers, namely Y chromosome SNPs, Y chromosome STR loci, autosomal STR loci, and a mitochondrial fragment of the control region I. Our data reveal new variants for the molecular markers and confirm significant genetic differentiation between Iberian wolf and native domestic dogs from Portugal. Based on our sampling, no signs of recent introgression between the two subspecies were detected. Y chromosome data do not reveal genetic differentiation among the analyzed dog breeds, suggesting they share the same patrilineal origin. Moreover, the genetic distinctiveness of the Iberian wolf from other wolf populations is further confirmed with the description of new mtDNA variants for this endemism. Our research also discloses new molecular markers for wolf and dog subspecies assignment, which might become particularly relevant in the case of forensic or noninvasive genetic studies. The Iberian wolf represents a relic of the once widespread wolf population in Europe and our study reveals that it is a reservoir of unique genetic diversity of the grey wolf, Canis lupus. These results stress the need for conservation plans that will guarantee the sustainability of this threatened top predator in Iberia.

2017Journal article

Open access

The curious case of the Mesolithic Iberian dogs: An archaeogenetic study

Publication . Pires, Ana Elisabete; Detry, Cleia; Chikhi, Lounes; Rasteiro, Rita; Amorim, Isabel R.; Simões, Fernanda; Matos, José; Petrucci-Fonseca, Francisco; Ollivier, Morgane; Hänni, Catherine; Cardoso, João Luis; Arias, Pablo; Diniz, Mariana; Araújo, Ana Cristina; Bicho, Nuno; Sousa, Ana Catarina; Moreno-García, Marta; Arruda, Ana Margarida; Fernández-Rodríguez, Carlos; Porfírio, Eduardo; Arnaud, José Morais; Valente, Alexandra; Gonçalves, David; Alves, Lara; Götherström, Anders; Davis, Simon J.M.; Ginja, Catarina

We investigated the genetic composition of six Canis remains from western Iberia, directly radiocarbon dated to 7,903–7,570 years (cal BP). They were identified as dogs via their archaeological and depositional context, osteometry, and a high percentage of aquatic diet shared with humans. For comparison, genetic data were obtained from an additional 37 Iberian dog remains from the Neolithic to Late Antiquity, as well as two Palaeolithic and a Chalcolithic Canis identified as wolves. Previous data indicated that dog mtDNA haplogroup A (HgA) is prevalent in extant European dogs (> 50%), in the Near East and Asia, but rare or absent (< 10%) in European Canis older than 3,000 years (cal BP). We found a high frequency (83%) of dog HgA in Mesolithic Iberian dog remains. This is the first report of a high frequency of dog HgA in pre-Neolithic Europe. We show that, contrary to the current view, Canis with HgA did not necessarily arrive in Europe from East-Asia. This phylogeographical difference in HgA frequency demonstrates that genetic differentiation was high prior to, or as a consequence of, domestication which may be linked with pre-Neolithic local processes for Iberian wolf domestication. Our results emphasize that knowledge of both ancient wolves' and early dogs’ genetic profiles from the European periphery should improve our understanding of the evolution of the European dog.

2019Journal article

Restricted access