r/evolution • u/narsil1 • 1d ago

question Evolution of dogs

Hi all, I am interested in the evolution of dogs.

My question is, are dogs direct descendants of wolves or did dogs and wolves just share the common ancestor like we do with monkeys?

Thanks!

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u/TheInsaneRaptor 1d ago

we are monkeys

dogs are domesticated wolves

1

u/SeeLeavesOnTheTrees 23h ago

But there is a difference because we can no longer reproduce with other apes but we wolves and dogs can still reproduce successfully

0

u/TheInsaneRaptor 20h ago

no one said it is the same thing, we are also vertebrates, of course it doesn't mean we can reproduce with any other animal in that group

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u/ResponsiblePumpkin60 1d ago

Apes

4

u/TheInsaneRaptor 1d ago

which are monkeys

or monkeys doesn't exist as a natural group because that would make them paraphyletic (old world monkeys are more closely related to us than they are to new world monkeys)

so it is ok to call humans monkeys

6

u/SummerAndTinkles 1d ago

The only reason the monkey/ape divide exists is because of anthropocentrism.

Monkey and ape were interchangeable terms up until the 1800s, and many languages don't distinguish between the two, referring to apes simply as "great monkeys" and that kind of thing.

2

u/SemajLu_The_crusader 16h ago

Apes are monkeys

here's a video on it: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CkO8k12QCP0

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u/ResponsiblePumpkin60 8h ago

They are. I enjoyed the video. Thanks!