Iberian wolf conservation aided by single-tooth analysis

Researchers from the Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (CE3C) at the University of Lisbon have discovered that the dimensions of a single tooth can provide critical data for the conservation of the endangered Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus).

Published in The Anatomical Record, the study analyzed the first lower molar, or carnassial tooth, of 78 Iberian wolf specimens collected between 1900 and 2006. The research demonstrated that the length of this tooth can estimate an animal's body mass with an average error of only 2.4 kg. Additionally, the tooth's morphometry allowed researchers to distinguish between males and females with approximately 79% accuracy.

Lead author Leonardo Cotts noted that this method is particularly valuable when complete skeletons are unavailable, such as when studying museum specimens or remains found in the field. This approach is expected to aid in ecological studies, population monitoring, and the broader conservation efforts for this subspecies exclusive to the Iberian Peninsula.