Biology, Ecology, Management and Conservation of Canidae

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Conservation Biology and Biodiversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2024 | Viewed by 585

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Interests: mammalogy; wild canids; wildlife conservation; human-wildlife conflicts; ecology and evolution

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Guest Editor
National Center for Wildlife, Al Imam Faisal Ibn Turki Ibn Abdullah, Ulaishah, Riyadh 12746, Saudi Arabia
Interests: wildlife conservation; wildlife ecology; conservation biology; biodiversity; carnivores; lagomorphs; ungulates; medium and large mammals; human-wildlife interactions
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Canids, including dogs, foxes, wolves, jackals, wild dogs, etc., are among the oldest surviving and one of the most successful carnivore groups, occupying almost all terrestrial biomes, from deserts, to equatorial and temperate forests, to steppes and arctic regions. They are medium-sized animals with a strong sense of smell and excellent running abilities. Canids are found on all continents of the world. Dogs are the most common domesticated animals and are often kept as pets. Some dog breeds have been developed to assist humans with tasks such as herding, hunting, guarding, and personal protection. The fur of canids, such as foxes, is valuable in trade. Wild canids, like wolves, jackals, and African wild dogs, play a crucial role as predators in the ecosystem and usually live in groups. However, the survival rate of some species has decreased due to climate, habitat changes, and human factors, causing their numbers to decline. On the other hand, some species such as wolves and jackals have expanded their range and are increasing in number thanks to their adaptability and causing conflicts with human activities.

This Special Issue aims to gather the latest canine biology, ecology, conservation, and management research. The content may include research on canine habitats, ecological niches, diversity, genetics, population recovery, physiological habits, reproduction, protection measures, and other related aspects.

We look forward to receiving your submissions.

Dr. Alberto Meriggi
Prof. Dr. Francesco Maria Angelici
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • Canidae
  • biology
  • ecology
  • management
  • conservation
  • ecosystem
  • habitats
  • niches
  • biodiversity
  • physiology
  • reproduction

Published Papers (1 paper)

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11 pages, 728 KiB  
Brief Report
Raising an Eye at Facial Muscle Morphology in Canids
by Courtney L. Sexton, Rui Diogo, Francys Subiaul and Brenda J. Bradley
Biology 2024, 13(5), 290; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13050290 - 25 Apr 2024
Viewed by 320
Abstract
The evolution of facial muscles in dogs has been linked to human preferential selection of dogs whose faces appear to communicate information and emotion. Dogs who convey, especially with their eyes, a sense of perceived helplessness can elicit a caregiving response from humans. [...] Read more.
The evolution of facial muscles in dogs has been linked to human preferential selection of dogs whose faces appear to communicate information and emotion. Dogs who convey, especially with their eyes, a sense of perceived helplessness can elicit a caregiving response from humans. However, the facial muscles used to generate such expressions may not be uniquely present in all dogs, but rather specifically cultivated among various taxa and individuals. In a preliminary, qualitative gross anatomical evaluation of 10 canid specimens of various species, we find that the presence of two facial muscles previously implicated in human-directed canine communication, the levator anguli occuli medialis (LAOM) and the retractor anguli occuli lateralis (RAOL), was not unique to domesticated dogs (Canis familiaris). Our results suggest that these aspects of facial musculature do not necessarily reflect selection via human domestication and breeding. In addition to quantitatively evaluating more and other members of the Canidae family, future directions should include analyses of the impact of superficial facial features on canine communication and interspecies communication between dogs and humans. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biology, Ecology, Management and Conservation of Canidae)
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