Genotypes of Italian free-ranging dogs

Domestication has greatly changed the social and reproductive behavior of
dogs relative to that of wild members of the genus Canis, which typically
exhibit social monogamy and extended parental care. Unlike a typical grey
wolf pack that consists of a single breeding pair and their offspring from
multiple seasons, a group of free-ranging dogs (FRDs) can include multiple
breeding individuals of both sexes. To understand the consequences of this
shift in reproductive behavior, we reconstructed the genetic pedigree of
an FRD population and assessed the kinship patterns in social groups,
based on genome-wide SNP genotypes. Consistent with behavioral
observations, the mating system of the study population was characterized
by polygynandry. Instead of the discreet family units observed in wolves,
FRDs were linked by a network of kinship relationships that
spread across packs. However, we also observed reproduction of
the same male-female pairs in multiple seasons, retention of adult
offspring in natal packs and dispersal between neighboring packs –
patterns in common with wolves. Although monogamy is the predominant
mating system in wolves, polygyny and polyandry are occasionally observed
in response to increased food availability. Thus, polygynandry of domestic
dogs was likely influenced by the shift in ecological niche from an apex
predator to a human commensal.