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First record of a melanistic golden jackal (Canis aureus, Canidae) from Turkey

  • Hüseyin Ambarlı EMAIL logo and C. Can Bilgin
Published/Copyright: December 21, 2012

Abstract

The golden jackal is a locally common mammal species widely distributed along the Black Sea and other coastal regions of Turkey. Between February 2009 and April 2010, we conducted a camera trap study in Artvin, northeastern Turkey that revealed the presence of ten medium or large mammal species. We report here the first ever photographic evidence of a melanistic golden jackal, along with its normal-colored probable mate. Dark fur color in wolves has been shown to be historically transferred from domestic dogs, and interbreeding among wolves, coyotes and dogs is well documented. However, we consider this an unlikely mechanism for the present observation, and instead suggest independent mutation as the source of this possibly adaptive trait.


Corresponding author: Hüseyin Ambarlı, Biodiversity and Conservation Laboratory, Department of Biology, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey

Financial and vehicle support for this study was provided by the Kaçkar Mountains Sustainable Forest Use and Conservation Project and by the Nature Conservation Centre (DKM). We thank XII. Regional Directorate of Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs for their support, Yaşar Kuşdili for acting as a guide during fieldwork, Scottie Westfall for providing an anecdotal reference and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable criticism.

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Received: 2012-01-11
Accepted: 2012-11-1
Published Online: 2012-12-21
Published in Print: 2013-05-01

©2013 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin Boston

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