Study findings question dingo descent, suggesting the dogs originated from southern-eastern Asia and New Guinea A unique feature of the evolutionary history of this Australian native is detailed in a ground breaking study.
Dingo DNA from the Big Screen
The dingo’s origins have been the subject of dispute for more than 100 years. Along the way the dingo was thought to be an offshoot of pariah dogs in South Asia, but new research from University of Sydney has flipped that script.
Employing state-of-the-art 3D scanning and geometric morphometrics, the researchers found direct associations between the fossil canids of Southeast Asia, including those from New Guinea, with ancient dingoes and dogs from nearby East Asia. This is a revolutionary finding that will assist in re-shaping the prevailing ideas about dingo origins and provide unparalleled insight into the evolution of one of Australia’s most iconic animals.
Dingo discovery sheds light on Melanesian heritage
The researchers, led by Dr. Loukas Koungoulos, a research associate at the University of Sydney said they discovered something remarkable: the ancient dingo fossils they looked at were closest to singing dogs from New Guinea and highland wild dog from Irian Jaya. It implies that the ancestors of dingoes travelled to Australia from East Asia through Melanesia, a great inundated continent eastward in Indo-Australia where no potential route was previously considered.
Radiocarbon dating of dingo remains by the researchers at several sites identified some over 3,000 years old, showing how long and intricate was the history of these animals in Australia. Working closely with the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area Traditional Owners gave the team a much broader appreciation of the dingo’s role in both cultural and ecological history of this part of the world.
Conclusion
And the study into where dingoes come from is more evidence why we need to rethink what we know about this famous animal. In revealing those unexpected connections, the study upended prevailing ideas and painted a striking new picture of how the dingo has come to exist. Not only does this reveal a new layer to the history of dingoes, but it also underlines the value of cutting-edge technologies such as 3D scanning in uncovering traces from ages past. And as we learn more about how closely related the dingo is to other types of domesticated (and wild) canines, we will stumble upon even further glimmers of the incredible variety and adaptability that shape these unique beings.
