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Evaluating the Taxonomic Status of the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Red Wolf

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Scientists strive to develop clear rules for naming and grouping living organisms. But taxonomy, the scientific study of biological classification and evolution, is often highly debated. Members of a species, the fundamental unit of taxonomy and evolution, share a common evolutionary history and a common evolutionary path to the future. Yet, it can be difficult to determine whether the evolutionary history or future of a population is sufficiently distinct to designate it as a unique species.

A species is not a fixed entity – the relationship among the members of the same species is only a snapshot of a moment in time. Different populations of the same species can be in different stages in the process of species formation or dissolution. In some cases hybridization and introgression can create enormous challenges in interpreting data on genetic distinctions between groups. Hybridization is far more common in the evolutionary history of many species than previously recognized. As a result, the precise taxonomic status of an organism may be highly debated. This is the current case with the Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) and the red wolf (Canis rufus), and this report assesses the taxonomic status for each.

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Suggested Citation

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Evaluating the Taxonomic Status of the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Red Wolf. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25351.

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Publication Info

92 pages | 7 x 10
Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-309-48824-2
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/25351
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  • Committee Meeting #1 Videos
    The first meeting open session was held on Thursday, September 13, 2018 from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Eastern Time at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, DC. During the public session the committee heard from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the study sponsor, as well as invited speakers Scott Edwards of Harvard University, Robert Wayne of the University of California Los Angeles, Lisette Waits of University of Idaho, and Holly Doremus of UC Berkeley Law School.
  • Committee Meeting #2 Videos
    The second public meeting and workshop of the committee on Assessing the Taxonomic Status of the Red Wolf and the Mexican Gray Wolf was held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 at 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Pacific Time at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center of the National Academies in Irvine, CA.Speakers include: Robin S. Waples of the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, Douglas W. Smith of the National Park Service, L. David Mech of the U.S. Geological Survey, Molly Przeworski of Columbia University, Graham Coop of University of California, Davis, Joseph W. Hinton of the University of Georgia, Bridgett M. vonHoldt of Princeton University, Paul A. Hohenlohe of the University of Idaho, Jonathan K. Pritchard of Stanford University, Matthew A. Cronin of Northwest Biology Company LLC., and Richard Fredrickson, Independent Researcher.

Videos

Webinar: Criteria for Determining a Subspecies

Criteria to make evidence-based distinctions between species and one or more associated subspecies.Susan M. Haig, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey

Webinar: Understanding Species Hybridization

The Role of Hybridization in the Species EvolutionMichael L. Arnold, University of GeorgiaHuman and Landscape Influences on Species HybridizationEmily K. Latch, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Webinar: Red Wolf Genetics and Behavioral Ecology

Speakers:Joseph Hinton, University of GeorgiaRoland Kays, North Carolina State University

Webinar: Red Wolf Morphology

Speaker: Ronald M. Nowak, Zoologist (retired)

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