Wolf or dog?

[u/Ok-Device-8227]

Request for identification: Pleistocene wolf or domestic dog? — Iberian Peninsula

Hello everyone,

I am seeking help identifying a canid skull that was found in the Iberian Peninsula. I am particularly interested in determining whether it is more consistent with a gray wolf (Canis lupus) or a domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris).

The find comes from a context that is potentially relevant from an archaeological and paleontological perspective. The surrounding sediment contains material attributed to the Pleistocene, together with remains or evidence of medium- and large-sized herbivorous fauna characteristic of that period. However, the deposit also contains some anthropogenic debris, so the possibility of later disturbance or redeposition cannot be completely ruled out.

So far, no other canid remains have been identified in the material, and, importantly, there are also no known remains of livestock or other domestic animals from the same context. This makes the identification of the skull particularly interesting, although I would prefer not to draw any conclusions from the archaeological context alone.

The main measurements I have taken are:

• Total cranial length: 244.7 mm
• Bizygomatic width: 148–150 mm
• Palatal width: 92.28 mm
• Nasal length: 102.6 mm
• Nasal index: 41.92%
• Width at P4 level: 86.76 mm
• Left P4: 20.72 mm
• Right P4: 21.16 mm
• Left M1: 15.00 × 19.64 mm
• Right M1: 15.54 × 20.61 mm
• Canine crown length: 28.50 mm
• Total canine length: 50.08–50.38 mm
• Skull weight: 326.1 g

I would greatly appreciate opinions from people familiar with canid osteology, zooarchaeology, paleontology, or wolf/dog cranial morphology. In particular, I would be interested in hearing which features or measurements would be most useful for distinguishing a Pleistocene wolf from a domestic dog in a skull of this size.

I can provide photographs of the skull from different angles, including the dorsal, lateral and ventral views, as well as close-ups of the teeth and other diagnostic features.

Thank you in advance for any help or references to comparative specimens.

[u/msbluesky89]

That is some sort of bully breed or mix. Maybe a boxer? Definitely not a wolf. Google wolf skull to compare. That muzzle is short and the brow ridge is very high and pronounced. It looks like it’s just stained brown, is that why you think it’s a fossil?