Suture obliteration patterns in wolves and a comparison to dogs

Area of Science:

• Paleoanthropology
• Zoology
• Comparative Anatomy

Background:

• Cranial suture and synchondrosis obliteration are age-related processes.
• Understanding these patterns in wolves (Canis lupus) is crucial for aging archaeological specimens.
• Domestication's impact on Canis familiaris cranial development remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze age-related cranial suture and synchondrosis obliteration in North American grey wolves.
• To evaluate the utility of these patterns for aging wolf crania.
• To compare wolf and domestic dog obliteration patterns and explore domestication effects.

Main Methods:

• Examined cranial suture and synchondrosis obliteration in 371 known-age grey wolves.
• Compared obliteration patterns with 576 known-age domestic dogs.
• Correlated wolf suture obliteration scores with age, sex, and diet.

Main Results:

• A positive correlation was found between wolf total suture obliteration score and age.
• Wolf sex and diet did not significantly affect the age-suture obliteration correlation.
• Domestic dogs exhibited more extensive suture obliteration than wolves from early adulthood onwards.

Conclusions:

• Cranial suture obliteration is a viable, albeit partial, indicator of age in grey wolves.
• Domestication appears to influence cranial development and aging in domestic dogs, leading to earlier and more extensive suture obliteration.
• Differences in cranial strain, developmental timing, and head shape diversity likely contribute to observed dog-wolf obliteration disparities.