Wolves and coyotes in Ontario: morphological relationships and origins

Abstract

Morphologically distinct groups of Canis in Ontario were identified using multivariate analyses on 6 body and 21 cranial characters. Three groups of wolves and three groups of coyotes were identified. Wolves in Ontario appeared to exhibit clinal variation. Large wolves were found in the boreal forest region of northern Ontario, intermediate-sized wolves were found in central Ontario, and a small form existed in southern Ontario. Coyotes in Ontario also varied geographically in size. Coyotes in southeastern and central Ontario resembled coyote–wolf hybrids.