DNA Study Reveals the One and Only Wolf Species in North America

Studies have shown that the genomes of North American wolves only have one type of species, known as the gray wolf. The other species of wolves in North America are the Eastern wolves and the red wolves, which are known to be a mixture of the grey wolf and the coyote. Coyotes developed the role of preying on small predictors, while the grey wolves preyed on the larger prey and development of rapid speed. Over the course of evolution, the grey wolves interbred with the coyotes in order to produce these hybrid offsprings. 

    

Scientist had examined the genomes of the Eastern and red wolves and explain how closely related they are but differentiated by the amount of coyote DNA they contained. Results have shown that the genome of the Red wolf contained 75% coyote and just 25% of the grey wolf. The genome of the Eastern wolf contained 75% of the grey wolf and 25% coyotes. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/28/science/red-eastern-gray-wolves.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront

http://en.yibada.com/articles/146092/20160728/one-true-wolf-north-america-three-gray.htm