@article{fdi:010093466,
  title = {{P}ioneering {DNA} metabarcoding analysis of the {A}frican wolf ({C}anis lupaster) diet},
  author = {{R}evill-{H}ivet, {E}. and {M}allil-{M}essara, {K}. and {J}usty, {F}. and {C}erqueira, {F}. and {D}esmarais, {E}. and {A}mroun, {M}. and {G}aubert, {P}hilippe},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{D}iet plays a pivotal role in the biology of apex predators, shaping their ecological niche, population dynamics, distribution, and adaptability to global changes. {T}he {A}frican wolf ({C}anis lupaster), a large canid endemic to {A}frica, was recently delineated as a distinct species, taxonomically phagocytizing what was formerly considered the {A}frican golden jackal. {I}n this study, we characterised for the first time through {DNA} metabarcoding the omnivorous diet of the {A}frican wolf based on faecal samples collected in northern {A}lgeria. {O}ur results highlighted {PCR} false negatives in {COI} (arthropods), while 12{S} (vertebrates) and trnl (plants) were, respectively, prone to host {DNA} over-representation and lower taxonomic resolution. {D}espite these limitations, {DNA} metabarcoding detected a broader range of consumed items than the morphological analysis applied to the faecal samples, and revealed two vertebrate species, one order of arthropods, and 11 plant families not previously described as part of the {A}frican wolf's diet. {T}he {A}frican wolf exhibited an overall reliance on vertebrates and plants with both wild and domestic origins, suggesting yet unobserved cooperative hunting of large prey (wild boar) and regular feeding on livestock carcasses in anthropized areas. {O}ur results indicate that the species employs an opportunistic foraging strategy, with a seasonal shift driven by the abundant consumption of a cultivated fruit ({F}icus carica) in summer. {B}ecause reliance on farming activities might exacerbate conflicts with humans, there is a need for better knowledge on the foraging strategies of the {A}frican wolf, to which further improved, multigene {DNA} metabarcoding can contribute.},
  keywords = {{C}anidae ; {DNA} ; {T}rophic niche ; {C}omparative analysis ; {S}easonality ; {N}orth ; {A}frica ; {ALGERIE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{M}ammalian {B}iology},
  volume = {[{E}arly {A}ccess]},
  numero = {},
  pages = {[19 p.]},
  ISSN = {1616-5047},
  year = {2025},
  DOI = {10.1007/s42991-025-00489-9},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010093466},
}