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The Xoloitzcuintle ( ), or Xolo for short, is a hairless breed of dog, found in toy, miniature and standard sizes.The Xolo also comes in a coated variety and all three sizes can be born to a single litter. It is also known as Mexican hairless dog in English speaking countries, and is one of several breeds of hairless dog. In Nahuatl, from which its English name originates, its name is ''xōlōitzcuintli'' (singular)〔 and ''xōlōitzcuintin'' (plural).〔''Nahuatl Dictionary.'' (1997). Wired Humanities Project. University of Oregon. Retrieved September 1, 2012, from (link )〕 The name ''xōlōitzcuintli'' comes from the god ''Xolotl'' and ''itzcuīntli'' , meaning dog in Nahuatl.〔 A genetic study was recently conducted in order to determine the origin of the Xoloitzcuintli breed. The study did not find a close genetic relationship between Xoloitzcuintli and the Chinese Crested Dog. However, the study showed that this breed did not result from a separate domestication of dogs in the New World. Xoloitzcuintli appear to have been a result of a mixture of several Old World dog breeds.〔() C. Vilà, J.E. Maldonado, and R.K. Wayne. Phylogenetic relationships, evolution, and genetic diversity of the domestic dog Journal of Heredity (1999) 90(1): 71-77. doi:10.1093/jhered/90.1.71〕 ==History== The Xolo is native to Mexico. Archaeological evidence shows that the breed has existed in Mexico for more than 3,000 years.〔(Xolo ) at Dog-breed-facts.com〕 Most likely, early forerunners of the Xolo originated as spontaneous hairless mutations of indigenous American dogs. Hairlessness may have offered a survival advantage in tropical regions. Indigenous peoples of Mexico had Xolo dogs as home and hunting companions, and today they are still very popular companion dogs. They are also the national dog of Mexico. Their value in ancient native cultures is evidenced by their frequent appearance in art and artifacts: for example, those produced by the Colima, Aztec and Toltec civilizations in Mexico. Xolos were considered sacred dogs by the Aztecs (and also Toltecs, Maya and some other groups) because they believed the dogs were needed by their masters’ souls to help them safely through the underworld. They were also useful companion animals. According to Aztec mythology, the god Xolotl made the Xoloitzcuintli from a sliver of the Bone of Life from which all mankind was made. Xolotl gave this gift to Man with the instruction to guard it with his life and in exchange it would guide Man through the dangers of Mictlan, the world of Death, toward the Evening Star in the Heavens. Some people in Mexico continue to believe this breed has healing qualities. The Aztecs also raised the breed for their meat. Sixteenth-century Spanish accounts tell of large numbers of dogs being served at banquets.〔Coe, Sophie D. (1994) ''America's first cuisines'' ISBN 0-292-71159-X〕 Aztec Merchant feasts could have 80–100 turkeys and 20–40 dogs served as food.〔 When these two meats were served in the same dish, the dog meat was at the bottom of the dish, either because it was held in higher regard or because it was increasingly considered a step above cannibalism.〔Aguilar-Moreno, M. (2006). ''Handbook to life in the Aztec world. Oxford University Press:'' USA. ISBN 978-0-19-533083-0〕 The Aztecs consumed few domesticated animals like Xolos or turkey.〔 Over 90% of the bones found at archeological sites are of deer that were hunted.〔 When Columbus arrived in the Caribbean in 1492, his journal entries noted the presence of strange hairless dogs. Subsequently, Xolos were transported back to Europe. The breed is not well known in the United States. As a result, the Xolo has been mistaken for the mythical Chupacabras of Mexico. The Xoloitzcuintli is the symbol of Club Tijuana, a Mexican professional football club. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mexican Hairless Dog」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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