On a Texas barrier island, biologists have found an odd population of canines that carry genes from the critically endangered red wolf, including a unique genetic variation — or "ghost allele" — that isn't found in any known canine species of North America. Pictured above, the canines in question live on Galveston Island, where they caught the attention of wildlife biologist Ron Wooten. After observing them for a while, Wooten emailed researchers at Princeton University to request genetic testing. "I regularly receive this kind of inquiry, but something about Wooten's email stood out," says Bridgett vonHoldt, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton, in a statement.