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Exploring the mitochondrial genomes of the Indian dhole and wolf: a phylogenetic and conservation perspective

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Abstract

India harbours two ecologically and evolutionarily significant canids: the dhole and wolf. Both species are increasingly threatened by habitat fragmentation, declining prey availability, and anthropogenic pressures. Despite their conservation importance, the complete mitochondrial genome structure and organization of the Indian dhole and wolf have remained unreported. In this study, we characterized the structure and organization of the complete mitochondrial genomes of the Indian dhole and wolf for the first time in order to examine their genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships. The mitochondrial genome measured 16,754 bp in the Indian dhole and 16,727 bp in the Indian wolf. Both species showed conserved gene content and organization, including 22 tRNA genes, 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, and a control region. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses consistently recovered the dhole as a well-supported monophyletic clade in which the two Indian dhole samples clustered together and were clearly separated from the Chinese dhole. The Indian wolf formed a well-supported distinct clade within the Canis lupus complex. The distinct phylogenetic placement of the Indian dhole and wolf emphasizes their evolutionary significance and conservation relevance. The mitochondrial genome resources generated in this study provide a foundation for future population and comparative genomic analyses of these threatened canids.

Data availability

The sequence data have been deposited in the NCBI database with accession numbers PX569325–PX569327.

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Acknowledgements

The first author, AS gratefully acknowledges the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, for providing the Junior Research fellowship (230510173174). The authors sincerely thank the authorities of the Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, Mysore, Karnataka, India for their invaluable support during the sample collection.

Funding

This study was partly supported by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), Government of India, New Delhi, India (EEQ/2021/000549) and the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi, India (DST/INT/RUS/RSF/P-73/2023(G)).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671325, India

    Aparna Suresh, Karippadakam Bhavana & Muniyandi Nagarajan

Authors

  1. Aparna Suresh
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  2. Karippadakam Bhavana
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  3. Muniyandi Nagarajan
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Contributions

MN conceived and supervised the study. AS performed the experiments. AS and MN conducted the data analyses. AS prepared the first draft of the manuscript. KB and MN edited the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to
Muniyandi Nagarajan.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethical approval

Blood samples were obtained from captive animals housed in a zoo during routine animal handling procedures, following approved pre-existing protocols and with the approval of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) & Chief Wildlife Warden, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India (Approval No. KFD/WL/E2(RE)/61/2024). The blood collection procedures complied with the present laws on animal welfare and research in India. The methods used in this study were reported in accordance with the ARRIVE guidelines (https://arriveguidelines.org) and adhered to relevant animal welfare regulations.

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Suresh, A., Bhavana, K. & Nagarajan, M. Exploring the mitochondrial genomes of the Indian dhole and wolf: a phylogenetic and conservation perspective.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-47957-x

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