What animals are hyenas related to

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Summary

5 papers analyzed

Research summarized with Copilot

20 papers analyzed

Introduction

Hyenas are fascinating creatures that have intrigued scientists due to their unique behaviors and ecological roles. Understanding their evolutionary relationships with other animals can provide insights into their biology and behavior.

Key Insights

Hyenas and Canids (Dogs)
- Hyenas share antibodies with canine viruses, indicating a close ecological and possibly evolutionary relationship with canids.
Hyenas and Felids (Cats)
- Hyenas also show antibodies to several feline viruses, suggesting interactions and potential evolutionary links with felids.
Hyenas' Unique Social Structure
- The social structure of hyenas, particularly the spotted hyena, is unique and complex, differing significantly from both canids and felids .

Conclusion

Hyenas are related to both canids (dogs) and felids (cats) based on the presence of antibodies to viruses common in these groups. However, their unique social structures set them apart, indicating a distinct evolutionary path.

Sources and full results

Most relevant research papers on this topic

Spotted hyenas

Spotted hyenas are a unique model organism for studying animal behavior, providing insights into the rules governing mammalian behavior and helping scientists understand social development, aggression, communication signals, and the evolution of sociality and intelligence.

16 Citations

2006

DOI

Hyenas and Humans in the Horn of Africa*

Spotted hyenas in the Horn of Africa have a long and ambivalent association with people, tolerating sanitation and carrion removal, but also causing livestock destruction, killing, and eating corpses.

25 Citations

2006

DOI

ANTIBODIES TO CANINE AND FELINE VIRUSES IN SPOTTED HYENAS (CROCUTA CROCUTA) IN THE MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

Spotted hyenas in the Masai Mara National Reserve have antibodies to canine and feline viruses, with higher risk in adults and females of high social rank, and are at lower risk near human habitation.

55 Citations

2004

DOI

Diet of Striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) in a semi-arid protected area of Western India

Striped hyenas in the Sariska Tiger Reserve, Western India, primarily rely on large mammals but also actively predate on smaller prey species, with a diverse diet consisting of grass, seeds, and various prey types.

0 Citations

2018

DOI

A keystone predator at risk? Density and distribution of the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) in the Etosha National Park, Namibia.

Spotted hyenas in Etosha National Park, Namibia, are a keystone predator with a strong spatial relationship to migratory prey biomass, but their population is currently unknown.

19 Citations

2009

DOI

A clan of Late Pleistocene hyenas, Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823), from the Rösenbeck Cave (Germany) and a contribution to cranial shape variability

Late Pleistocene spotted hyenas from Rosenbeck Cave in Germany show three distinct cranial shapes, with one resulting from injuries caused by bites from intraspecies fights or lions.

19 Citations

2011

DOI

Extended and Continuous Decline in Effective Population Size Results in Low Genomic Diversity in the World’s Rarest Hyena Species, the Brown Hyena

Brown hyenas have extremely low genetic diversity, likely due to a continuous decline in population size since the Pleistocene, with potential subpopulations within the species.

65 Citations

2018

DOI

Hyena societies

Hyenas exhibit ecological and social diversity, occupying diverse habitats and filling specialized niches, with four living species in the family Hyaenidae.

42 Citations

2007

DOI

Pollen analysis of present-day striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) scats from central Iran: Implications for dryland paleoecology and animal paleoethology

Striped hyena scats reveal detailed information on regional vegetation, foraging behavior, and diet, aiding in reconstructing dryland paleoecology and animal paleoethology.

6 Citations

2020

DOI

Behavioural structuring of relatedness in the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) suggests direct fitness benefits of clan‐level cooperation

Spotted hyenas derive large net fitness benefits from clan-level cooperation, with low mean relatedness within clans suggesting they cooperate with unrelated clan-mates against close paternal kin in other clans.

104 Citations

2004

DOI

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