Mogollon Mountain Wolf
Encyclopedia
The Mogollon Mountain Wolf (Canis lupus mogollonensis) was a subspecies
of the gray wolf
, Canis lupus, and primarily roamed in Arizona
and New Mexico
. It became extinct in 1942 and was later conglomerated under the taxonomic banner of the Mexican wolf
.
that roamed near it, but the Mogollon Mountain Wolf was smaller than its brethren subspecies and had "distinctive cranial details." Lighter colored as well, its fur was a mixture of black and tawny coloring, with cinnamon color mixed in along the edges.
, along with the Texas wolf
, it was proposed by biologists
Bogan and Mehlhop for the Mogollon Mountain Wolf and the Texas wolf to be conglomerated under the same taxonomic name and subspecies as the Mexican wolf. This was because the Mogollon Mountain Wolf was seen as merely a possible middle subspecies between the Mexican Wolf and the Southern Rocky Mountains Wolf, thus making it unnecessary to distinguish taxonomically. This was accepted by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 1982 and a "zone of subspecies intergradation" was recognized soon thereafter, extending from the southern Rocky Mountains
to the northern tip of the Mexican wolf's range.
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the gray wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, Canis lupus, and primarily roamed in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. It became extinct in 1942 and was later conglomerated under the taxonomic banner of the Mexican wolf
Mexican Wolf
The Mexican Wolf is a subspecies of the Gray Wolf. It is native to North America, where it is the rarest and most genetically distinct subspecies.- Physical features :...
.
Description
The subspecies was measured at 135-150 cm in length, and weighed 27-36 kg. It was similar to the Texas WolfTexas Wolf
The Texas Wolf , also known as the Texas Gray Wolf, was a subspecies of the gray wolf, Canis lupus, that primarily roamed in Texas and New Mexico...
that roamed near it, but the Mogollon Mountain Wolf was smaller than its brethren subspecies and had "distinctive cranial details." Lighter colored as well, its fur was a mixture of black and tawny coloring, with cinnamon color mixed in along the edges.
History
Because of its overlapping range with the Mexican wolfMexican Wolf
The Mexican Wolf is a subspecies of the Gray Wolf. It is native to North America, where it is the rarest and most genetically distinct subspecies.- Physical features :...
, along with the Texas wolf
Texas Wolf
The Texas Wolf , also known as the Texas Gray Wolf, was a subspecies of the gray wolf, Canis lupus, that primarily roamed in Texas and New Mexico...
, it was proposed by biologists
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
Bogan and Mehlhop for the Mogollon Mountain Wolf and the Texas wolf to be conglomerated under the same taxonomic name and subspecies as the Mexican wolf. This was because the Mogollon Mountain Wolf was seen as merely a possible middle subspecies between the Mexican Wolf and the Southern Rocky Mountains Wolf, thus making it unnecessary to distinguish taxonomically. This was accepted by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 1982 and a "zone of subspecies intergradation" was recognized soon thereafter, extending from the southern Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
to the northern tip of the Mexican wolf's range.