Posted on 11/02/2007 1:08:26 PM PDT by Daffynition
More evidence that some animals should be hairy/fuzzy.
That thing did NOT look like a coyote...and just why was it, and the four others that were found in TX, hairless? Global warming, right? /s
This Texas RoadRunner says, “That ain’t no coyote”
The DNA results are in on the “chupacabra’ article you posted. ;-)
.
Without numbers, this statement doesn't end the debate. Homology of human DNA to rat or chimp is nearly a match too, but we are radically different species. How close was the match, and how does this compare with comparisons to other closely related species (dog, wolf, bear, etc.). For example if there is a 99.97% match between the specimen random genomic DNA and coyote, versus a 96.43% match with small sample deviations then we could make this conclusion, otherwise, we could not.
Joe Conger of KENS 5 news provided a tissue sample from Canion’s preserved animal to Texas State’s director of the Wildlife Ecology program, John Baccus, and Baccus passed the sample on to Forstner’s lab, which normally does DNA testing on a large number of different kinds of animals from bats to toads. Forstner assigned doctoral student Jake Jackson Huntsville and master’s student Jim Bell of Pearland to the project, who viewed this as just another lab project--albeit with a pop-culture twist.
“DNA tells a story. It allows us to determine the difference between animal species, and while I thought it was a canid (one of the members in the dog family), I could not tell from the photographs which one it might be,” Forstner explained, pointing out that KENS 5 financed the testing. “From my perspective, we were interested in providing a direct answer from the DNA, testing the best guesses of experts by using the evidence from the animal itself.
“Jake extracted DNA from the sample, then we used PCR to generate template DNA and a Beckman Coulter Automated DNA sequencer to read that sequence,” he said. “We choose a part of the mitochondrial DNA genome that is very informative in mammals, called the D-Loop. Once we had the sequence, it was very easy to make an initial ‘match’ of the Cuero sample using the online genetic database, GENBANK. We also completed other analyses, but really, that first match told the tale.”
Coyote ugly.
Man, those gloves would not be thick enough for *me* to handle that thing.
I hear ya ... and the lady who found this critter is having the head mounted ...ARGH!
Talk about nightmare city. Imagine seeing that on the wall just before trying to get some sleep. YIPES!
Well, it’s mama loves it...
;-)
Not so fast! Read the article from The Victoria Advocate. She is getting more DNA testing from University of California at Davis. Wasn’t an exact match. Could be a new type of coyote.
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/811/story/147658.html
A COYOTE?
Cuero woman to seek additional DNA tests of chupacabra-like creature
BY SONNY LONG - VICTORIA ADVOCATE
November 03, 2007 - Posted at 12:00 a.m.
CUERO - The case isn’t closed on the chupacabra yet.
Despite DNA results revealing that the mystery animal found in DeWitt County in July is an “old coyote,” Phylis Canion isn’t through seeking answers.
In fact, she peppered Michael Forstner, Texas State University biologist, with questions at the end of Thursday’s newscast on San Antonio’s KENS 5 News, but other than saying the animal had an “unfortunate” skin disease of some kind, nothing else was answered on air.
In a buildup reminiscent of Geraldo Rivera’s opening of Al Capone’s vault, Canion joined Forstner and reporter Joe Conger on live television from Texas State University in San Marcos for the dramatic opening of the envelope containing the DNA results.
“What you didn’t hear is that he said it could be a new family within the coyote species,” said Canion, showing a chart illustrating exactly where the animal falls among the DNA makeup of similar animals. “He said it was most similar to this coyote, which is the key. Similar. But this is still not the same line. It did not exactly match any of them.
“Within this family, there could be a new group that takes on a different behavior. They could suck blood out of a chicken. So what is it? It’s similar to a coyote, and perhaps it’s a different family of coyote,” said Canion. “We’re not saying this is some new species, just a new family.”
Canion said she would consult with Victoria veterinarian Travis Schaar on the skin disease that may have stricken the animal. She added that the animal didn’t have mites, which could rule out mange.
She will also be sending a back molar and a skin sample to the University of California at Davis, and she will pay for the testing herself this time. Texas State compared the DNA to a computer database, but UC-Davis has actual coyote DNA to compare it to, she said.
“This was not as specific as I wanted,” she said.
KENS paid for the DNA testing at Texas State.
And has the furor over the chupacabra died down? Hardly.
Tagging along with Canion to San Marcos and continuing to film at her ranch on Friday was a television crew from Italy.
She has also spotted another one of the animals on her property and has set a trap to attempt to capture it live.
The head was on display at the Cuero Turkey Fest a couple of weeks ago! Missed it, unfortunately.
Terrific find! Thanks. Guess the whole story wasn’t reported. Figures. ;-D
Ahhhh... just as I suspected. If they were certain it was a coyote, I would have expected them to give sufficient data to determine what DNA was compared and how good the match was; when they didn't I suspected they weren't sure. They actually compared mitochondrial DNA, which is very highly conserved (doesn't vary much) in mammals, and even that doesn't match. Interesting.
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