Domestic dog betrays ancestry by grazing

Canis familiaris photo © Christos Petrou via Flickr

Domestic dog betrays ancestry by grazing

Canis familiaris photo © Memphis Veterinary Specialists

The domestic dog can be weaned on a diet restricted to plant matter and can even eat green grass, casting doubt on the current consensus on its ancestry. The wolf is too specialised as a carnivore to be a plausible ancestor for a species as omnivorous as the domestic dog, suggesting that the real ancestor was a different, jackal-like species preferring animal matter but able to exploit greens as well.

Robin and the Honey Badger, 22 August 2016

 Photographs:
Canis familiaris eating grass