Dingo (Dingo) are an iconic element of Australia’s biodiversity, but evidence-based management and conservation of dingoes depends on understanding their origins and population history. New ResearchIssued this week Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesResearchers have sequenced the genome of an ancient dingo individual, providing clues about the early history of dingoes in Australia, prior to the introduction of modern domestic dogs and the persecution of dingoes by European settlers. The results provide insight into the ancestry and origins of modern dingoes, including their relationship to the singing dogs of New Guinea, and will be a valuable resource for future developments in dingo management and conservation.
Dingoes are culturally and ecologically important free-living canines whose ancestors arrived in Australia more than 3,000 years ago, likely carried by sea voyagers. Image courtesy of Karlel.
Modern dingoes are free-ranging and naturalized Canine They live on most of mainland Australia and some of the nearby islands, including K'gari (known as Fraser Island from the 1840s until 2023).
Between the arrival of their ancestors in Australia at least 3,000 years ago and the introduction of domestic dog breeds as part of European colonisation beginning in the 18th century, dingoes were isolated from domestic dogs for thousands of years and represent an early 'primitive dog' lineage distinct from other free-ranging representatives of modern domestic dogs.
The early branching and free-living nature of dingoes means they were not subjected to the same intensive selective breeding as the ancestors of modern domestic dogs.
As a result, dingoes are behaviorally, genetically and anatomically distinct from domestic dogs and, as the continent's largest and most widespread terrestrial predator, they affect the distribution and populations of many other animal species.
“Dingoes have cultural significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and play a vital role in Australia's ecosystems,” said University of Adelaide researcher Dr Yasin Suirmi.
“Understanding the historical population structure of dingoes will help us to protect their role in Australia's ecosystems and culture.”
“Dingoes are currently under threat from lethal culling programs and our research highlights the importance of protecting populations both inside and outside national parks.”
For the study, Dr Suirmi and his colleagues sequenced genetic data from 42 dingo specimens taken from coastal Western Australia, the Nullarbor Plain and coastal eastern Australia, stretching more than 3,000 kilometres from east to west.
The majority of the dingo specimens the researchers analysed predate the arrival of Europeans in Australia, with some dating back more than 2,000 years, and therefore represent the true genetic diversity of dingoes before they interbred with modern domestic dog breeds.
“This dataset provides a rare glimpse into the genetic landscape of pre-colonial dingoes, without any interbreeding with modern dog breeds,” said Dr Sally Wasef, a palaeogeneticist at Queensland University of Technology.
“As a result, they are behaviorally, genetically and anatomically different from domestic dogs.”
“The ancestors of modern dingoes arrived in Australia more than 3,000 years ago, probably carried there by seafarers.”
“The samples we analysed represent the oldest ancient DNA ever found in Australia and point to broad potential for future DNA and conservation action for dingoes and other animals.”
“Dingo populations have been divided into eastern and western groups and were previously thought to have formed during post-colonial human activity.”
“However, our results show that dingo population structure was already present thousands of years ago, shedding light on the dingo's genetic heritage and highlighting the importance of using ancient DNA for wildlife conservation.”
“For example, all of the K'gari dingoes we analysed are free of domestic dog blood, proving they have retained their ancestral heritage intact.”
“Although we only studied a small number of K'gari dingoes, our results highlight the importance and usefulness of ancient pre-colonial genomic data in conserving our unique native fauna.”
“Bad human behaviour has led some dingoes to take food from tourists so although a few problem dingoes have been culled, this is concerning given the small population.”
“Our unique dataset of ancient dingo DNA has helped us to reveal important details about the ancestry and migration patterns of modern dingoes,” Dr Suirmi said.
“Dingoes existed in Australia long before Europeans arrived, with distinct regional populations roughly separated along the Great Dividing Range, and certainly before the construction of the dingo-proof fence.”
“DNA analysis also shows that there has been less interbreeding between dingoes and modern dogs than previously thought, and our study confirms that today's dingoes retain a significant amount of their ancestral genetic diversity.”
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Yasin Suirmi others2024. Ancient genomes reveal dingo population structure over 2,000 years. PNAS 121(30):e2407584121; doi:10.1073/pnas.240758412
Source: www.sci.news
