Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Program
Geosciences
Date of Award
12-2025
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Blaine W. Schubert
Committee Members
Joshua X. Samuels, Richard T. Carter, Kumiko Matsui
Abstract
The dire wolf was a large wolf-like canid that occurred across North America and into South America during the late Pleistocene but does not have a well understood origin. Recent molecular findings using genetic evidence do not agree with prior characterizations of divergence based on morphology. Alternative morphological characters may be identified from the bony labyrinth within the inner ear, which has previously been used to identify ecological and phylogenetic relationships within families, even distinguishing between subspecies. The right bony labyrinth was successfully isolated from two dire wolf skulls and reconstructed into 3D models which were compared to eight extant canid species. Differences in semicircular canal shape, size, and orientation of relative angles to the vestibule and cochlea are observable between dire wolf and extant canids. These results warrant further examination to fully investigate their potential use in phylogenetic analyses and ecological interpretation for dire wolf.
Document Type
Thesis - embargo
Recommended Citation
Hoole, Brad, "Distinguishing the Extinct Dire Wolf from other Canids based on Bony Labyrinth Morphology" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4624. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4624
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
