First, check wikipedia and do a search for both "dog" and "wolf". On the "wolf" page, let your eyes wander down to the right and notice the entry beside "Species:". Now let's read out loud together . . . "C. Lupus". Now, let's complete the lesson by doing the same on the "dog" page . . . Species: . . . what? . . . can it be? C. Lupus.. I'll bet that stands for Canis lupus - just like wolves.
Ooh, Wikipedia, that bastian of peer-reviewed scientific consensus...
Look, it's true that some sources (e.g. the author of the Wikipedia piece) prefer to list dogs as a *subspecies* of wolves (as does Wikipedia itself, something you "forgot" to mention), but most other sources classify dogs as their own distinct species (Canis familiaris) based on solid reasoning and evidence.
You're misrepresenting the state of the field when you just flat-out declare dogs as simply being "the same species" as wolves, when at best they're a distinct *sub*species, and even that is not a matter of consensus. And I've reviewed references in the primary literature just now, and found that Canis familiaris is still the preferred nomenclature. A PubMed search turns up *357* articles referring to domestic dogs as "Canis familiaris", and only *6* ("six") referring to them as "Canis lupus familiaris".
See for example:
Prion protein NMR structures of cats, dogs, pigs, and sheep, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Jan 18;102(3):640-5. Epub 2005 Jan 12Furthermore, the main institutes sequencing and studying the dog genome use the same classificiation (Canis familiaris), and I'll take their professional opinion on the matter over that of the contributor to Wikipedia. See:Abstract: The NMR structures of the recombinant cellular form of the prion proteins (PrPC) of the cat (Felis catus), dog (Canis familiaris), and pig (Sus scrofa), and of two polymorphic forms of the prion protein from sheep (Ovis aries) are presented. In all of these species, PrPC consists of an N-terminal flexibly extended tail with approximately 100 amino acid residues and a C-terminal globular domain of approximately 100 residues with three alpha-helices and a short antiparallel beta-sheet. Although this global architecture coincides with the previously reported murine, Syrian hamster, bovine, and human PrPC structures, there are local differences between the globular domains of the different species. Because the five newly determined PrPC structures originate from species with widely different transmissible spongiform encephalopathy records, the present data indicate previously uncharacterized possible correlations between local features in PrPC three-dimensional structures and susceptibility of different mammalian species to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.Genomic sequence of the class II region of the canine MHC: comparison with the MHC of other mammalian species, Genomics. 2005 Jan;85(1):48-59
Abstract: The domestic dog, Canis familiaris, is an excellent model species in which to study complex inherited diseases, having over 200 recognized breeds, each of which represents a closed gene pool. Overlapping canine genomic BAC clones were sequenced to obtain 711,521 bp of the canine classical and extended MHC class II regions. Analysis and annotation of this sequence reveals that it contains 45 loci, of which 29 are predicted to be functionally expressed. Comparison of the DLA class II sequence with those of the cat, human, and mouse highlights regions of syntenic conservation and species-specific gene rearrangement and duplication and gives an insight into the evolution of the DR region in the order Carnivora. Elucidation of functionally important dog class II genes and the identification of 23 microsatellite markers spanning this region will contribute significantly to the study of canine diseases that have an immune component.Modifications of serotonergic and adrenergic receptor concentrations in the brain of aggressive Canis familiaris, Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol. 2004 Nov;139(3):343-50
Extensive and breed-specific linkage disequilibrium in Canis familiaris, Genome Res. 2004 Dec;14(12):2388-96. Epub 2004 Nov 15
Characterization of the dog Agouti gene and a nonagoutimutation in German Shepherd Dogs, Mamm Genome. 2004 Oct;15(10):798-808
Abstract: The interaction between two genes, Agouti and Melanocortin-1 receptor ( Mc1r), produces diverse pigment patterns in mammals by regulating the type, amount, and distribution pattern of the two pigment types found in mammalian hair: eumelanin (brown/black) and pheomelanin (yellow/red). In domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), there is a tremendous variation in coat color patterns between and within breeds; however, previous studies suggest that the molecular genetics of pigment-type switching in dogs may differ from that of other mammals. Here we report the identification and characterization of the Agouti gene from domestic dogs, predicted to encode a 131-amino-acid secreted protein 98% identical to the fox homolog, and which maps to chromosome CFA24 in a region of conserved linkage. Comparative analysis of the Doberman Pinscher Agouti cDNA, the fox cDNA, and 180 kb of Doberman Pinscher genomic DNA suggests that, as with laboratory mice, different pigment-type-switching patterns in the canine family are controlled by alternative usage of different promoters and untranslated first exons. A small survey of Labrador Retrievers, Greyhounds, Australian Shepherds, and German Shepherd Dogs did not uncover any polymorphisms, but we identified a single nucleotide variant in black German Shepherd Dogs predicted to cause an Arg-to-Cys substitution at codon 96, which is likely to account for recessive inheritance of a uniform black coat.Isolation and molecular evolution of the selenocysteine tRNA (Cf TRSP) and RNase P RNA (Cf RPPH1) genes in the dog family, Canidae, Mol Biol Evol. 2005 Feb;22(2):347-59. Epub 2004 Oct 20
Abstract: In an effort to identify rapidly evolving nuclear sequences useful for phylogenetic analyses of closely related species, we isolated two genes transcribed by RNA polymerase III (pol III), the selenocysteine tRNA gene (TRSP) and an RNase P RNA (RPPH1) gene from the domestic dog (Canis familiaris). We focus on genes transcribed by pol III because their coding regions are small (generally 100-300 base pairs [bp]) and their essential promoter elements are located within a couple of hundred bps upstream of the coding region. Therefore, we predicted that regions flanking the coding region and outside of the promoter elements would be free of constraint and would evolve rapidly. We amplified TRSP from 23 canids and RPPH1 from 12 canids and analyzed the molecular evolution of these genes and their utility as phylogenetic markers for resolving relationships among species in Canidae. We compared the rate of evolution of the gene-flanking regions to other noncoding regions of nuclear DNA (introns) and to the mitochondrial encoded COII gene. Alignment of TRSP from 23 canids revealed that regions directly adjacent to the coding region display high sequence variability. We discuss this pattern in terms of functional mechanisms of transcription. Although the flanking regions evolve no faster than introns, both genes were found to be useful phylogenetic markers, in part, because of the synapomorphic indels found in the flanking regions. Gene trees generated from the TRSP and RPPH1 loci were generally in agreement with the published mtDNA phylogeny and are the first phylogeny of Canidae based on nuclear sequences.Characterization and mapping of canine microsatellites isolated from BAC clones harbouring DNA sequences homologous to seven human genes, Anim Genet. 2004 Oct;35(5):404-7
Abstract: Human primers specific for the genes LEP, HBB, PAX3, ESR2, TPH1, ABCA4 and ATP2A2 were used to identify clones in a canine BAC library. Subcloning of the positive BACs in plasmids, screening with microsatellite motifs and subsequent sequencing allowed for the identification of eight novel microsatellites. The presence of the gene of interest was confirmed by sequencing the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products amplified in the positive BACs. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) using the positive BACs as probes allowed for the chromosomal localization of the insert DNAs in two canid species, dog (Canis familiaris) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes). The use of gene-associated microsatellites may accelerate the identification of candidate genes for phenotypic traits in linkage studies.Digging up the canine genome--a tale to wag about, Cytogenet Genome Res. 2003;102(1-4):244-8
Abstract: There is incredible morphological and behavioral diversity among the hundreds of breeds of the domestic dog, CANIS FAMILIARIS. Many of these breeds have come into existence within the last few hundred years. While there are obvious phenotypic differences among breeds, there is marked interbreed genetic homogeneity. Thus, study of canine genetics and genomics is of importance to comparative genomics, evolutionary biology and study of human hereditary diseases. The most recent version of the map of the canine genome is comprised of 3,270 markers mapped to 3,021 unique positions with an average intermarker distance of approximately 1 Mb. The markers include approximately 1,600 microsatellite markers, about 1,000 gene-based markers, and almost 700 bacterial artificial chromosome-end markers. Importantly, integration of radiation hybrid and linkage maps has greatly enhanced the utility of the map. Additionally, mapping the genome has led directly to characterization of microsatellite markers ideal for whole genome linkage scans. Thus, workers are now able to exploit the canine genome for a wide variety of genetic studies. Finally, the decision to sequence the canine genome highlights the dog's evolutionary and physiologic position between the mouse and human and its importance as a model for study of mammalian genetics and human hereditary diseases. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel
NCBI Dog Genome ResourcesAnd finally:Whitehead Institute/MIT Center for Genome Research dog genome project
National History Museum, dog websiteDon't try to teach your grandpa to suck eggs, son.The domestic dog's closest kin is the gray wolf (Canis lupus). Study the phylogeny to see a short line connecting these two species.
One species, many breeds
I'll address your other points at my leisure but you do everyone a disservice by making trite "Strike one" comments and then proceed tell me a lie.
It's not a lie, and you're strongly encouraged to retract your slander. You're also strongly encouraged to not overestimate your actual knowledge on this subject.
But what is Smokey the Bear's MIDDLE name??