A stray dog in Brazil dubbed as "dogxim" has been identified as a probable hybrid between a South American pampas fox and a domestic dog, a first-of-its-kind.
As urban areas expand, interactions between domestic pets and wildlife can lead to such hybridization, a phenomenon documented for the first time by researchers.
Genetic Tests Reveal It Is a Dogxim
Scientists encountered a puzzling canine with a blend of dog-like traits and unique features, including pointed ears and a long snout. Experts said that from the very beginning, the animal looks and behaves strangely.
Despite its barking and appearance akin to a dog, this animal refused dog food, opting for small rats. Found in 2021 following a road accident in Vacaria, Rio Grande do Sul, it received care at the Center for Conservation and Rehabilitation of Wild Animals.
South America hosts four distinct canid species, none matching this canine's characteristics. Local bush dogs exhibit small ears, short legs, and brown fur, while maned wolves are tall with reddish-brown coats. Crab-eating and pampas foxes share some similarities but differ in fur color. With no known species fitting, Brazilian researchers proposed a crossbreed.
None of the rescued dogs matched the mysterious stray but genetic analysis confirmed the animal as a hybrid between a pampas fox and a domestic dog, an extremely rare cross-genus occurrence.
Despite diverging around 6.7 million years ago, these species still produce viable hybrids. The rescued canine's 76 chromosomes visually resembled those of domestic dogs and pampas foxes. While it had 38 chromosome pairs, one short of a dog's 39, the genetic similarities may allow unusual DNA combinations to function effectively.
The rescued animal possessed two X chromosomes with different morphologies, indicating dual-species origins. Mitochondrial DNA analysis suggested a pampas fox mother and a dog father. While no evidence yet supports other hybrids in the region, researchers suspect this is not an isolated case.
Dogxim's Mysterious Death Still Under Investigation
In 2019, biologist Herbert Hasse Junior encountered two animals displaying an unusual phenotype in their natural habitat. One of these animals was probably the female hybrid, tragically killed in a road accident in 2021, while the other animal mysteriously disappeared.
Adding a cruel twist to the tale, the dog-fox hybrid, a groundbreaking discovery for science, met an undisclosed fate at a zoo after recuperating from its injuries. The death of this pioneering Brazilian dog-fox hybrid has triggered a government inquiry. Surprisingly, the São Braz Conservation Center, responsible for the hybrid's care since its 2021 discovery, did not report the animal's demise.
Even more perplexing is the absence of information regarding the timing and cause of the hybrid's death. As far as current knowledge goes, no autopsy was conducted to determine the cause of this unprecedented loss.
The Brazilian government, through its Secretariat of Environment and Infrastructure (SEMA), is actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the hybrid's demise. The animal, a product of the rare interbreeding between a wild graxaim and a domestic dog, held significant scientific value since its discovery in 2021.
SEMA, in its ongoing investigation, emphasizes the lack of communication from the conservation center about the animal's death, raising further questions about this enigmatic case.
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