Baffin Island wolf

The Baffin Island wolf (Canis lupus manningi), also known as the Baffin Island tundra wolf,[2] is a subspecies of gray wolf which resides exclusively on Baffin Island and several nearby islands.[3] It was not formally recognized as a subspecies until 1943, when it was given its taxonomic classification by Anderson.[4] This wolf is recognized as a subspecies of Canis lupus in the taxonomic authority Mammal Species of the World (2005).[5]

For other uses, see Islands wolf.

Canis lupus manningi
Illustration based on a description by Edward Alphonso Goldman
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species:
C. lupus
Subspecies:
C. l. manningi
Trinomial name
Canis lupus manningi
Anderson, 1943 (1908)[1]
Historical and present range of gray wolf subspecies in North America

Physiology

Description

The Baffin Island wolf is described as being light colored, sometimes white, and unusually small, as compared to other wolf subspecies. It is proposed to be the smallest of all Arctic wolf types. It is currently endangered.[4][6][7][8]

History

Early records and evidence suggest that the wolves in western Greenland migrated there from Baffin Island and are, thus, descendants of the Baffin Island wolf subspecies.[7]

In 1966, a study was conducted on the Baffin Island wolf, of which a preliminary assessment had been made the year before in 1965 at Wordie Bay, by the University of Toronto. It was helped by students from the university as well.[9]

References
  1. "Canis lupus manningi Anderson, 1943". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
  2. Murray Wrobel (2006). Elsevier's Dictionary of Mammals. Elsevier. p. 70. ISBN 978-0-08-048882-0.
  3. Patrick Hook (1998). Wolves. Random House Value Publishing. ISBN 978-0-517-16082-4.
  4. ""Wolf Facts" – Northern Lights Wildlife". Archived from the original on 2010-02-20. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  5. Wozencraft, W.C. (2005). "Order Carnivora". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 575–577. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JgAMbNSt8ikC&pg=PA576
  6. Peter Steinhart (1996). The Company of Wolves. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-679-74387-3.
  7. "Paleoeskimo Dogs of the Eastern Arctic" – Arctic, Vol. 55, No. 1 (March 2002)
  8. Atkins, Phoebe (2015-12-07). "Baffin Island Wolf". Haiku Deck.
  9. Canada. Dept. of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (1967). Annual Report - Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
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