For more than a century, Aenocyon dirus—the dire wolf—has held a place in both scientific research and popular imagination. And a new paper, An update on Aenocyon dirus in the interior of North America: new records, radiocarbon dates, ZooMS spectra, and isotopic data for an iconic late Pleistocene carnivore, sheds fresh light on this iconic predator’s range, diet, and ultimate disappearance.

The paper documents the first confirmed dire wolf fossils in Iowa, revises records from the Ozark Highlands, and clarifies long-standing taxonomic debates. Using a mix of direct radiocarbon dating, Zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS), and stable isotope analysis, the authors place dire wolves firmly in the interior of North America before, during, and after the Last Glacial Maximum. 

Among the paper’s contributors is Archaeologist and Iowa State University Professor Matt Hill, who provided key insights—some of which were brought to life through charts made in Grapher. His and the other authors’ findings not only expand the known fossil record but also reveal details about the species’ prey choices and ecological role during a time of dramatic environmental change.