Researchers have been studying the evolution of canids and some have come to the conclusion that canid evolution was driven by climate change. Fossils from 40 million years ago (mya) reveal that canids were similar to mongooses. They had small bodies and short limbs that made them efficient ambush predators in warm forests. Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Dr. Christine Janis said, “There’s no point in doing a dash and a pounce in a forest. They’ll smack into a tree.”
Several million years later the climate began to change and forests became grasslands. In the changing environment ambush predation was less efficient and canids evolved into “pursuit-pounce” predators similar to modern coyotes and foxes.
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| Two early dogs, Hesperocyon on the left (42.5 mya to 31 mya), and Sunkahetanka on the right (30.8 mya to 26.3 mya), were both ambush-style predators. Credit: Mauricio Anton |
Included in the study were fossils from 32 canid species ranging from 40 mya to 2 mya. The researchers discovered changes in elbow anatomy during a climate change. Dr. Janis said, “The elbow is a really good proxy for what carnivores are doing with their forelimbs, which tells their entire locomotion repertoire. It’s reinforcing the idea that predators may be as directly sensitive to climate and habitat as herbivores. Although this seems logical, it hadn’t been demonstrated before.”
Now that research has shown that carnivores have historically adapted to a changing climate it is possible that they will continue to do so. “Now we’re looking into the future at anthropogenic changes,” said Janis.
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