Domestication Flashcards
Dr. Sponenberg
Compare domestic and wild life selection environments and the effect on animal population
- early decrease in size and increase later (mammals)
- early increase in size (birds)
- decreased flight distance (easier to approach even untamed domestic species than wild species)
- Color change
- Retain neotenic characters (cute)
- Decreased cranial capacity (selects for tameness and cooperation) (inherently decreases intelligence)
- Increased genetic variability and increased rate thereof (domestic animals generate spontaneous variations of genes faster than their wild counterparts)
Pre-adaptations of domestication
- Diet: herbivorous or omnivorous (carnivores are hard to tame with the exception of cats)
- Growth Rate: faster is better
- Reproduce in captivity: polygamous with no elaborate courtship (except geese)
- Disposition: not nasty or aggressive
- Limited tendency to panic (except horses)
- Social Structure: herds with dominancy, nonterritorial
Contrast sheep and goat morphologic consequences
Sheep Changes: horns, longer tails, shorter/thicker legs, fat deposits
Goat changes: 1st domesticated ruminants! horns, ears, profile
Gentrification
standardization by removing from original region and selecting for uniformity outside of original environment for a purpose other than the original
(Applies to most dog breeds)
Landrace
a genetic breed that is genetically isolated by default from cultural, geographic, or communication factors. NO Organization
Dog Predatory Sequence
- Orient
- Eye
- Stalk
- Chase
- Grab/Bite
- Crush/Kill
- Dissect
- Consume
Sight Hounds
large and lean
big eyes in front for binocular vision
like to chase
usually silent
color varies (liver color is rare)
intelligent
do not like pain (tend to bite when in pain)
Examples: whippets
Scent Hounds
smooth coats
lop ears
bay (bark, make noise) when chasing to help hunters follow
color varies (liver is rare)
Example: basset hounds, beagles, coonhounds
Pointers
large and lean
short or long coats
work back and forth to find birds
color varies (liver is common)
mostly european
Examples: Irish Setter, German Shorthaired Pointer
Retrievers
large and heavy
moderate lope ears
straight tails
black, yellow, and liver
require a degree of obedience
Examples: Labradors, Goldens, Poodles
Spaniels
combine pointing and retrieving
medium sized, longer hair
lop ears
all colors present, liver is common
most have docked tails
Examples: Cocker Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels
Terriers
wirehaired or smooth
tough, aggressive
control rats, foxes
most have docked tails
colors vary
can “self-destruct” in groups due to high prey drive
Examples: Bull Terrier, Airedale, Jack Russell
Fighters
usually large, shorthaired
moderate rose or small lop ears
color doesn’t matter
aggression is the goal of selection (general dog aggressive but some can be people aggressive)
Example: Pitbulls
Herders/heelers
control predation
hearders: take to handler
heelers: take away from handler
continental group: established boundary point for livestock
Examples: Red Heeler, Australian Shepherd, Border Collie
Livestock Guardians
large, heavy, longhaired
usually white
small lop ears
aggressive to novel stimuli (important to socialize with people from a young age)
Nonpredatory
Not very trainable
independent
Example: Great Pyrenees
Mastiffs
large, shorthairds
color varies, usually no white
vary by use (guarding, fighting, companions, draft)
Examples: boxers, Dobermans, English mastiff
Spitz
harder to predict
variable in size, color, and behavior
stiff hair, curly tail, erect ears
Examples: Siberian Husky, Finnish Spitz
Giants
huge loose skin
european for draft and rescue
Examples: Saint Bernard, Newfie
Toy/Pets
from everywhere
variety of breed backgrounds
selected for companionship
Examples: Pugs, Cavaliers, Toy Poodles, Shih Tzus
Cattle
Uses: milk, meat, leather, plastic (from horns), manure fertilizer, manure fuel, manure bricks, sacrifice, bride price, symbol of wealth
(Cow pox saves us from small pox)
Others: Yaks, water buffalo, Bali
Deer
poor domestication
males are aggressive during rut
Exception: Moose and reindeer
Swine
useful as scavengers
Bacon type: large, long, poorly muscles
Lard type: cobby, thick, and very fat
Meat type: long, thick, and muscular
Horses
Uses: riding (mobility and transport), packing, hauling, meat, milk
Ass
Uses: threshing grain, packing, riding, meat, milk
Half of the worlds equine
Camel
ideal for sandy deserts
Uses: packing, meat, milk, pulling/hauling
Dromedary: one hump- riding, packing, draft, dairy
*Produce more milk when dehydrated
Bactrian: 2 humps- packing, draft, fiber, meat, milk
Cat
domestication was passive
Breeds:
Eastern: long and lean (ex: oriental shorthair)
Intermediate: average size (ex: Russian blue)
Cobby: round
Ferrets
domesticated as aid to hunting rabbits and vermin
Rabbits
domesticated for meat (small animals are food sources where there are no left overs to preserve)
Guinea Pigs
domesticated for meat (small animals are food sources where there are no left overs to preserve)
also used for pets and ritual medicine
Fowl
Uses: cockfighting, religion, meat, eggs
Ducks
better egg layers, lay one egg every 24 hours
Geese
loud- alert us to predators
Domestication
taming animals, close relationship with people and animals, genetic change
Standarized breed
a genetic breed has an organization of breeders and is breeding animals to conform to a standard. genetic isolation is designed
Industrial Stock
subset of a genetic breed selected for outstanding performance in narrow range of events
general patterns of development
domestication, then landrace than primitive breed, then standardized breed
