Gray wolves are widely recognized to be the ancestor of all domestic dog breeds (Canis lupus familiaris), including feral forms such as dingos (Canis lupus dingo) and New Guinea singing dogs (Canis lupus halstromi). Genetic evidence suggests that gray wolves were domesticated at least twice, and perhaps as many as 5 times, by humans.
Grey wolf (Canis lupus), captive. Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students.ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe.
golden jackals (Canis aureus) Ecosystem Roles Feral domestic dogs impact ecosystems primarily through predation on native wildlife, often resulting in severe population declines, especially of island endemic species.
The Ethiopian wolf Canis simensis, red wolf Canis rufus and the grey wolves Canis lupus are all significantly larger in height and weight with males typically over 60 kgs (Marafina Vieira Porto, Maestri, and Da Silva Duarte, 2019).