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Canidae ('kan?'de, kān'ĭ-dē' ) is the biological family
Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is a taxonomic rank. Exact details of formal nomenclature depend on the Nomenclature Codes which applies....
 of the dogs; a member of this family is called a canid. They include wolves, fox
Fox

A fox is an animal belonging to any one of about 27 species of small to medium-sized Canidae, characterized by possessing a long, narrow snout, and a bushy tail, or brush....
es, coyote
Coyote

The coyote , also known as the prairie wolf, is a species of canid found throughout North America and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States, and Canada....
s, and jackal
Jackal

A jackal is a member of any of three small to medium-sized species of the family Canidae, found in Africa, Asia and southeastern Europe. Jackals fill a similar ecological niche to the coyote in North America, that of predators of small to medium-sized animals, scavengers, and omnivores....
s. The Canidae family is divided into the "true dogs" of the tribe Canini and the "foxes" of the tribe Vulpini. The two species of the basal Caninae are more primitive and do not fit into either tribe.

subdivision of Canidae into "foxes" and "true dogs" may not be in accordance with the actual relations; also the taxonomic
Alpha taxonomy

Alpha taxonomy is the science of finding, describing and categorising organisms, thus leading to the recognition of proposed taxonomic groups, or taxon , which may then be naming conventions....
 classification of several canines is disputed.






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Canidae ('kan?'de, kān'ĭ-dē' ) is the biological family
Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is a taxonomic rank. Exact details of formal nomenclature depend on the Nomenclature Codes which applies....
 of the dogs; a member of this family is called a canid. They include wolves, fox
Fox

A fox is an animal belonging to any one of about 27 species of small to medium-sized Canidae, characterized by possessing a long, narrow snout, and a bushy tail, or brush....
es, coyote
Coyote

The coyote , also known as the prairie wolf, is a species of canid found throughout North America and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States, and Canada....
s, and jackal
Jackal

A jackal is a member of any of three small to medium-sized species of the family Canidae, found in Africa, Asia and southeastern Europe. Jackals fill a similar ecological niche to the coyote in North America, that of predators of small to medium-sized animals, scavengers, and omnivores....
s. The Canidae family is divided into the "true dogs" of the tribe Canini and the "foxes" of the tribe Vulpini. The two species of the basal Caninae are more primitive and do not fit into either tribe.

Classification and relationship

The subdivision of Canidae into "foxes" and "true dogs" may not be in accordance with the actual relations; also the taxonomic
Alpha taxonomy

Alpha taxonomy is the science of finding, describing and categorising organisms, thus leading to the recognition of proposed taxonomic groups, or taxon , which may then be naming conventions....
 classification of several canines is disputed. Recent DNA
DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetics instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses....
 analysis shows that Canini (dogs) and Vulpini (foxes) are valid clades
Cladistics

Cladistics is the hierarchical classification of species based on evolutionary ancestry. Cladistics is distinguished from other taxonomic systems because it focuses on evolution rather than similarities between species, and because it places heavy emphasis on objective, quantitative analysis....
. (See phylogeny below). Molecular data implies a North American origin of living Canidae and an African origin of wolf-like canines (Canis, Cuon, and Lycaon).

Currently, the domestic dog
Dog

The dog is a domesticated subspecies of the Gray Wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties....
 is listed as a subspecies of Canis lupus
Subspecies of Canis lupus

Canis lupus has 39 subspecies currently described, including two subspecies of domestic dog, Dingo and Dog, and many subspecies of wolf throughout the northern hemisphere....
, C. l. familiaris, and the Dingo
Dingo

|- style = "text-align:center"|style="background: pink;" |Breed standards |- style = "text-align:center"||}The Dingo also known as Warrigal, Maliki, Mirigung, Decker Dog, Boololomo, Repeti, or Australian Native Dog, is a feral dog which mostly lives independently from humans....
 (also considered a domestic dog) as C. l. dingo, provisionally a separate subspecies from C. l. familiaris; the Red Wolf
Red Wolf

The Red Wolf is a North American canid which once roamed throughout the Southeastern United States and is a Last glacial period survivor of the Late Pleistocene epoch....
, Eastern Canadian Wolf, and Indian Wolf
Indian Wolf

Recent genetic research suggests that the Indian Wolf, originally considered only as a subpopulation of the Iranian Wolf , may represent a distinct species ....
 are recognized as subspecies
Subspecies

In biology, subspecies is the taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a species. A subspecies is a taxonomic group which is less distinct than the Common descent or species from which it originates....
. Many sources list the domestic dog as Canis familiaris, but others, including the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution

The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its Financial endowment, contributions, and profits from its shops and its magazine....
 and the American Society of Mammalogists
American Society of Mammalogists

The American Society of Mammalogists was founded in 1919. Its primary purpose is to encourage the study of mammals and professions studying mammals....
, more precisely list it as a subspecies of C. l. familiaris; the Red Wolf, Eastern Canadian Wolf, and Indian Wolf may or may not be separate species
Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring....
; the Dingo
Dingo

|- style = "text-align:center"|style="background: pink;" |Breed standards |- style = "text-align:center"||}The Dingo also known as Warrigal, Maliki, Mirigung, Decker Dog, Boololomo, Repeti, or Australian Native Dog, is a feral dog which mostly lives independently from humans....
 has been in the past variously classified as Canis dingo, Canis familiaris dingo and Canis lupus familiaris dingo.

Evolution


Eocene epoch


Carnivorans evolved from miacoids about 55 million years ago during the late Paleocene
Paleocene

The Paleocene or Palaeocene, "early dawn of the recent" is a geologic epoch that lasted from 65.5 ? 0.3 Mega-annum to 55.8 ? 0.2 Ma . It is the first epoch of the Palaeogene Period in the modern Cenozoic era ....
. Then, about 50 million years ago, the carnivorans split into two main divisions: caniforms (dog-like) and feliforms (cat-like). By 40 million years ago the first clearly identifiable member of the dog family Canidae had arisen. It was called Prohesperocyon wilsoni and was found in what is now southwestern Texas. This fossil species bears a combination of features that definitively mark it as a canid: teeth that include the loss of the upper third molar (a general trend toward a more shearing bite), and the characteristically enlarged bony bulla
Bulla

Bulla may refer to:...
 (the rounded covering over the middle ear). Based on what we know about its descendants, Prohesperocyon likely had slightly more elongated limbs than its predecessors, along with toes that were parallel and closely touching, rather than splayed, as in bears.

The Canidae family soon subdivided into three subfamilies, each of which diverged during the Eocene: Hesperocyoninae
Hesperocyoninae

The subfamily Hesperocyoninae is an extinct group of Canidae that were Endemism to North America, and lived from the Eocene through the Miocene , covering some 20 million years....
 (~39.74-15 Mya), Borophaginae
Borophaginae

The subfamily Borophaginae is an extinct group of canids that were Endemism to North America, and lived from roughly 40 to 2.5 million years ago ....
 (~36-2 Mya), and the Caninae
Caninae

The subfamily Caninae includes all living canids and their closest fossil relatives such as the Sardinian Dhole. More basal canids are placed in the extinct subfamilies Hesperocyoninae and Borophaginae....
 lineage that led to present-day canids (wolves, foxes, coyotes, jackals, and domestic dogs). Each of these groups showed an increase in body mass with time
Cope's rule

Edward Drinker Cope's rule states that population lineages tend to increase in body size over evolutionary time. While the rule has been demonstrated in many instances, it does not hold true at all taxonomic levels, or in all clades....
, and sometimes exhibited a specialised hypercarnivorous diet that made them prone to extinction. Only the Caninae lineage, commonly referred to as "canines," survived to the present day.

Oligocene epoch

The earliest branch of the Canidae was the Hesperocyoninae lineage, which included the coyote-sized Mesocyon
Mesocyon

Mesocyon is an extinct genus of dog which inhabited North America 34 mya to 21 Mya, described by William Berryman Scott in 1890. Mesocyon was a member of the extinct subfamily Hesperocyoninae, which includes the earliest canids....
 of the Oligocene (38-24 Mya). These early canids probably evolved for fast pursuit of prey in a grassland habitat, and resembled modern civet
Civet

The family Viverridae is made up of 35 species, including all of the genet , the Binturong, most of the civets, and the four linsangs.Viverrids are native to most of the Old World tropics, nearly all of Africa , Madagascar, and the Iberian Peninsula....
s in appearance. Hesperocyonines became extinct except for the Nothocyon and Leptocyon branches. These branches led to the borophagine and canine radiations.

Miocene epoch

Around 9-10 Mya during the Late Miocene
Late Miocene

The Late Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene epoch made up of two faunal stage. The Tortonian and Messinian stages comprise the Late Miocene sub-epoch....
, Canis
Canis

Canis is a genus containing 7 to 10 extant species and many extinct species, including dogs, Wolf , coyotes, and jackals....
, Urocyon
Urocyon

The genus Urocyon is a genus that contains two living Western Hemisphere foxes in the family Canidae, the Gray Fox and the closely-related Island Fox which is a insular dwarfism cousin of the Gray Fox; as well as one fossil species, Urocyon progressus....
, and Vulpes
Vulpes

Vulpes is a genus of the Canidae family. It includes the true foxes, although there are species in other genera whose common names include the word "fox"....
 genera expanded from southwestern North America
North America

North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost totally in the western hemisphere....
. This was the point where the canine radiation began. The success of the these canines was related to the development of lower carnassial
Carnassial

Carnassials are large teeth found in many carnivorous mammals, used for shearing flesh and bone in a scissor or shear-like way. In the Carnivora, the carnassials are the modified last upper premolar and the first lower molar , but in the prehistoric creodonts, the carnassials were further back in the jaw — first upper and second lower o...
s that were capable of both mastication
Mastication

Mastication or chewing is the process by which food is crushed and ground by teeth. It is the first step of digestion and it increases the surface area of foods to allow more efficient break down by enzymes....
 and shearing. Around 8 Mya, Beringia offered the canines a way to enter Eurasia
Eurasia

Eurasia is a large landmass covering about 53,990,000 km? or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface . Often considered a single continent, Eurasia comprises the traditional continents of Europe and Asia, concepts which date back to classical antiquity and the borders for which are somewhat arbitrary....
.

Pliocene epoch


Early Pliocene
During the Pliocene
Pliocene

The Pliocene epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 1.806 million years before present.The Pliocene is the second epoch of the Neogene period in the Cenozoic era....
 around (4-5 Mya) Canis lepophagus appeared in North America. This was small and sometimes coyote-like. Others were wolf-like in characteristics. It is theorized that Canis latrans (the coyote) descended from Canis lepophagus. Around 1.5 to 1.8 Mya, a variety of wolves were present in Europe. Also, the North American wolf line appeared with Canis edwardii, clearly identifiable as a wolf. Canis rufus appeared, possibly a direct descendent of Canis edwardii.

Middle Pliocene
Around 0.8 Mya Canis ambrusteri, emerged in North America. A large wolf, it was found all over the continent. It is thought that this species migrated to South America where it became the ancestor of Canis dirus, the dire wolf.

Late Pliocene
At 0.3 Mya Canis lupus
Gray Wolf

The grey wolf or gray wolf , also known as the timber wolf or simply wolf, is the largest wild member of the Canidae family. It is an ice age survivor originating during the Late Pleistocene around 300,000 years ago....
 (the gray wolf) was fully developed and had spread throughout Europe and northern Asia. Berengia offered a way to North America. At around 100,000 years ago, the dire wolf, one of the largest members of the dog family, had spread from South America to southern Canada and from coast to coast. The dire wolf shared its habitat with the gray wolf. Around 8000 years ago the dire wolf became extinct.

Characteristics

Wild canids are found on every continent except Antarctica, and inhabit a wide range of different habitats, including deserts, mountains, forests, and grassland
Grassland

Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found....
. They vary in size from the Fennec Fox at 24 cm in length, to the Gray Wolf
Gray Wolf

The grey wolf or gray wolf , also known as the timber wolf or simply wolf, is the largest wild member of the Canidae family. It is an ice age survivor originating during the Late Pleistocene around 300,000 years ago....
, which may be up to 2 m long, and can weigh up to 80 kg.

With the sole living exception of the Bush Dog
Bush Dog

The Bush Dog is a canid found in Central America and South America, including Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru , Ecuador, the Guianas, Paraguay, Ordinal direction Argentina , and Brazil ....
, canids have relatively long legs and lithe bodies, adapted for chasing prey. All canids are digitigrade
Digitigrade

A digitigrade is an animal that stands or walks on its digits, or toes. Digitigrades include walking birds , cats, dogs, and most other mammals, but not humans, bears, and a few others ....
, meaning that they walk on their toes. They possess bushy tails, non-retractile claws, and a dewclaw
Dewclaw

A dewclaw is a Vestigial structure of the foot of many mammals, birds, and reptiles . It grows higher on the leg so that in digitigrade species, when the animal is standing, it does not make contact with the ground....
 on the front feet. They possess a baculum
Baculum

The baculum is a bone found in the penis of most mammals. It is absent in humans, equidae, marsupials, lagomorphs, and hyenas, and cetaceans among others....
, which together with a cavernous body helps to create a copulatory tie during mating, locking the animals together for up to an hour. Young canids are born blind, with their eyes opening a few weeks after birth.

Social behavior

in Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress as a national park on March 1, 1872, is located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, though it also extends into Montana and Idaho....
.]] Almost all canids are social animals and live together in groups. In most foxes and in many of the true dogs, a male and female pair work together to hunt and to raise their young. Gray wolves and some of the other larger canids live in larger groups called packs. African wild dog
African Wild Dog

The African Wild Dog is a Carnivore mammal of the Canidae family, found only in Africa, especially in scrub savanna and other lightly wooded areas....
s have the largest packs, which can number as many as 90 animals. Some species form packs or live in small family groups depending on the circumstances, including the type of available food. In most species, there are also some individuals who live on their own. Within a canid pack, there is a system of dominance so that the strongest, most experienced animals lead the pack. In most cases, the dominant male and female are the only pack members to breed.

Canids communicate with each other by scent signals, by visual clues and gestures, and by vocalizations such as growls, barks, and howls. In most cases, groups have a home territory from which they drive out others. The territory is marked by leaving urine scent marks, which warn trespassing individuals.

Most canids bear young once a year, from 1 to 16 or more (in the case of the African wild dog) at a time. The young are born small and helpless and require a long period of care. They are kept in a den, most often dug into the ground, for warmth and protection. When they begin eating solid food, both parents, and often other pack members, bring food back for them from the hunt. This is most often vomited up from the adult's stomach. Young canids may take a year to mature and learn the skills they need to survive.

Dentition


Most canids have 42 teeth
Tooth

Teeth are small whitish structures found in the jaws of many vertebrates that are used to tear, scrape, and chew food. Some animals, particularly carnivores, also use teeth for hunting or defense....
, with a dental formula
Dentition

Dentition is the tooth development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth.All mammals except the monotremes, the xenarthrans, the pangolins, and the cetaceans have up to four distinct types of teeth, with a maximum number for each....
 of: As in other members of Carnivora
Carnivora

The diverse Order Carnivora includes over 260 species of eutheria mammals. Its members are formally referred to as carnivorans, while the word "carnivore" can refer to any meat-eating animal....
, the upper fourth premolar
Premolar

The premolar teeth or bicuspids are transitional teeth located between the Canine_tooth and Molar_ teeth. In humans, there are two premolars per quadrant, making eight premolars total in the mouth....
 and lower first molar
Molar (tooth)

Molars are the rearmost and most complicated kind of tooth in most mammals. In many mammals they grind food; hence the Latin name mola, "millstone"....
 are adapted as carnassial
Carnassial

Carnassials are large teeth found in many carnivorous mammals, used for shearing flesh and bone in a scissor or shear-like way. In the Carnivora, the carnassials are the modified last upper premolar and the first lower molar , but in the prehistoric creodonts, the carnassials were further back in the jaw — first upper and second lower o...
 teeth for slicing flesh. The molar teeth are strong in most species, allowing the animals to crack open bone to reach the marrow
Bone marrow

Bone marrow is the flexible biological tissue found in the hollow interior of bones. In adults, marrow in large bones produces new blood cells....
. The deciduous or baby teeth formula in canids is 3 1 3; molars are completely absent.

Canids and humans

One canid, the domestic dog, long ago entered into a partnership with humans and today remains one of the most widely kept domestic animals in the world and serves humanity in a great many important ways. Most experts believe the domestic dog is descended from an Asian subspecies of the Gray Wolf.

Among canids, only the gray wolf has been known to prey on humans. There is at least one record of a coyote killing a toddler, and two of golden jackals killing children. Some canid species have also been trapped and hunted for their fur and, especially the Gray Wolf and the Red Fox, for sport. Some canids are now endangered in the wild due to hunting, habitat loss, and the introduction of diseases from domestic dogs.

Species and taxonomy


Grey Fox Small
Tanuki01 960
FAMILY CANIDAE

Subfamily: Caninae
  • True dogs - Tribe Canini
    • Genus Canis
      Canis

      Canis is a genus containing 7 to 10 extant species and many extinct species, including dogs, Wolf , coyotes, and jackals....
      • Side-striped Jackal
        Side-striped Jackal

        The Side-striped Jackal is a species of jackal, native to central Africa and southern Africa. Unlike its cousin, the smaller Black-backed Jackal which dwells in open plains, the Side-striped Jackal primarily dwells in woodland and scrub areas....
        , Canis adustus
      • Golden Jackal
        Golden Jackal

        The Golden Jackal , also called the Asiatic, Oriental or Common Jackal is a species of jackal native to north and east Africa, southeastern Europe and South Asia to Burma....
        , Canis aureus
      • Coyote
        Coyote

        The coyote , also known as the prairie wolf, is a species of canid found throughout North America and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States, and Canada....
        , Canis latrans (also called Prairie Wolf)
      • Gray Wolf
        Gray Wolf

        The grey wolf or gray wolf , also known as the timber wolf or simply wolf, is the largest wild member of the Canidae family. It is an ice age survivor originating during the Late Pleistocene around 300,000 years ago....
        , Canis lupus (2.723 Ma to present)
        • Red Wolf
          Red Wolf

          The Red Wolf is a North American canid which once roamed throughout the Southeastern United States and is a Last glacial period survivor of the Late Pleistocene epoch....
          , Canis lupus rufus (3 Ma to present) (sometimes considered a separate species)
        • Domestic Dog
          Dog

          The dog is a domesticated subspecies of the Gray Wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties....
          , Canis lupus familiaris
        • Dingo
          Dingo

          |- style = "text-align:center"|style="background: pink;" |Breed standards |- style = "text-align:center"||}The Dingo also known as Warrigal, Maliki, Mirigung, Decker Dog, Boololomo, Repeti, or Australian Native Dog, is a feral dog which mostly lives independently from humans....
          , most often classified as Canis lupus dingo
        • New Guinea Singing Dog
          New Guinea Singing Dog

          The New Guinea Singing Dog , known as NGSD, New Guinea Highland Dog, or Singer, is a Dog type of Domestic Dog that is native to New Guinea, classified as a Subspecies of Canis Lupus and related to the Australian Dingo....
          , Canis lupus hallstromi
        • Eastern Wolf
          Eastern Wolf

          The eastern wolf , also known as Eastern Canadian Wolf or Eastern Canadian Red Wolf, is traditionally considered to be a subspecies of the Gray Wolf....
          , Canis (lupus) lycaon (sometimes considered a separate species)
        • Indian Wolf
          Indian Wolf

          Recent genetic research suggests that the Indian Wolf, originally considered only as a subpopulation of the Iranian Wolf , may represent a distinct species ....
          , Canis indica (sometimes considered a separate species)
        • Himalayan Wolf
          Himalayan Wolf

          The Himalayan Wolf, originally thought to belong to Tibetan wolf , which is a subspecies of the Gray wolf, may represent a distinct canid species, Canis himalayensis....
          , Canis himalayensis (sometimes considered a separate species)
        • many other proposed subspecies
      • Black-backed Jackal
        Black-backed Jackal

        The Black-backed Jackal , also known as the Silver-backed Jackal is a species of jackal which inhabits two areas of the African continent separated by roughly 900 kilometers....
        , Canis mesomelas
      • Ethiopian Wolf
        Ethiopian Wolf

        The Ethiopian wolf is a carnivorous mammal of the family Canidae. It is also known as the Abyssinian wolf, Abyssinian fox, red jackal, red fox, Simien fox or Simien jackal among other names....
        , Canis simensis (also called Abyssinian Wolf, Simien Fox and Simien Jackal)
    • Genus Cynotherium †
      Extinction

      In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
      • Sardinian Dhole
        Sardinian Dhole

        The Sardinian Dhole Cynotherium sardous was an endemism Insularity Canidae, that occurred on the Italy island of Sardinia and the France island of Corsica ....
        , Cynotherium sardous †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
    • Genus Cuon
      • Dhole
        Dhole

        The Dhole , also known as the Asiatic Wild Dog, Indian Wild Dog or Red Dog is a mammal of the order Carnivora, and the only member of the genus Cuon....
        , Cuon alpinus or Canis alpinus (also called Asian Wild Dog)
    • Genus Lycaon
      • African Wild Dog
        African Wild Dog

        The African Wild Dog is a Carnivore mammal of the Canidae family, found only in Africa, especially in scrub savanna and other lightly wooded areas....
        , Lycaon pictus (also called African Hunting Dog)
    • Genus Indocyon†
      Extinction

      In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
      • Indian Mute Dog, Indocyon caribensis †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
         (also called Caribbean Dog)
    • Genus Cubacyon
      • Cuban Dhole, Cubacyon transversidens †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
    • Genus Atelocynus
      • Short-eared Dog
        Short-eared Dog

        The Short-eared Dog , also known as the Short-eared Fox or the Short-eared Zorro, is a canid species endemism to the Amazon River drainage basin....
        , Atelocynus microtis
    • Genus Cerdocyon
      • Crab-eating Fox
        Crab-eating Fox

        The Crab-eating Fox , also known as the Forest Fox, Wood Fox, and the Common Fox, is a medium-sized Canidae found in the central part of South America....
        , Cerdocyon thous
    • Genus Dasycyon †
      Extinction

      In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
       ?
      • Hagenbeck Wolf
        Andean Wolf

        The Andean Wolf, or Hagenbeck's Wolf is a mysterious canid from the Andes. In 1927 Lorenz Hagenbeck obtained a pelt from a dealer in Buenos Aires, and was told that it came from the Andes....
        , Dasycyon hagenbecki † ?
    • Genus Dusicyon †
      Extinction

      In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
      • Falkland Island Fox
        Falkland Island Fox

        The Falkland Islands Wolf , also known as the Warrah and occasionally as the Falkland Islands Dog, Falkland Islands Fox or Antarctic Wolf, was the only native land mammal of the Falkland Islands....
        , Dusicyon australis †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
    • Genus Pseudalopex
      Pseudalopex

      Lycalopex is the genus name for some South America members of the Canidae family. The common name for the genus is zorro, from Spanish language, and raposa, from Portuguese language, both words standing for fox....
      • Culpeo
        Culpeo

        The Culpeo , sometimes known as the Patagonian Fox or Andean Fox, is a South American species of wild dog. It is the second largest native Canidae on the continent after the Maned Wolf....
        , Pseudalopex culpaeus
      • Darwin's Fox
        Darwin's Fox

        Darwin's Fox or Darwin's Zorro is a small Critically_endangered_species Canidae from the genus Lycalopex. It is also known as the Zorro Chilote or Zorro de Darwin in Spanish language and lives on Chilo? Island and Nahuelbuta National Park in mainland Chile ....
        , Pseudalopex fulvipes
      • Argentine Grey Fox
        Argentine Grey Fox

        The South American Gray Fox , also known as the Patagonian Fox, the Chilla, or the Grey Zorro, is a species of Lycalopex, the "false" foxes....
        , Pseudalopex griseus
      • Pampas Fox
        Pampas Fox

        The Pampas Fox , also known as Azara's Fox, or Azara's Zorro, is a medium sized Lycalopex or "false" fox native to South American pampas and its range is through central South America in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil....
        , Pseudalopex gymnocercus
      • Sechura Fox
        Sechura Fox

        The Sechuran Fox , also called the Peruvian Desert Fox or the Sechuran Zorro, is a South American species of canidae closely related to other South American "false" foxes or Lycalopex, of which it is the smallest....
        , Pseudalopex sechurae
      • Hoary Fox
        Hoary Fox

        The Hoary Fox , also called the Hoary zorro, is a species of Lycalopex or "false" fox endemism to Brazil.It is a slender animal with a relatively short, pointed muzzle, and large ears....
        , Pseudalopex vetulus
    • Genus Chrysocyon
      • Maned Wolf
        Maned Wolf

        The Maned Wolf is the largest canidae of South America, resembling a big fox with reddish fur.This mammal is found in open and semi-open habitats, especially grasslands with scattered bushes and trees, in south-eastern Brazil , Paraguay, northern Argentina, Bolivia east and north of the Andes, and far south-eastern Peru ....
        , Chrysocyon brachyurus
    • Genus Speothos
      • Bush Dog
        Bush Dog

        The Bush Dog is a canid found in Central America and South America, including Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru , Ecuador, the Guianas, Paraguay, Ordinal direction Argentina , and Brazil ....
        , Speothos venaticus
      • Unnamed bush dog relative
        Speothos pacivorus

        }Speothos pacivorus is an extinct relative of the Bush Dog whose fossils date from the late Pleistocene. When compared to the Bush Dog, S. pacivorus had an overall larger body size and a double-rooted second lower molar....
        , Speothos pacivorus †


  • True foxes - Tribe Vulpini
    • Genus Vulpes
      Vulpes

      Vulpes is a genus of the Canidae family. It includes the true foxes, although there are species in other genera whose common names include the word "fox"....
      • Arctic Fox
        Arctic fox

        The Arctic Fox , also known as the White Fox or Snow Fox, is a small fox native to cold Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is common throughout the Tundra#Arctic tundra biome....
        , Vulpes lagopus
      • Red Fox
        Red Fox

        The Red Fox is a mammal of the order Carnivora. In the British Isles, where there are no longer any other native wild canids, it is referred to simply as "the fox"....
        , Vulpes vulpes (1 Ma to present)
      • Swift Fox
        Swift Fox

        The Swift Fox is a small orange-tan fox around the size of a domestic cat found in the western grasslands of North America, such as Colorado, New Mexico and Texas....
        , Vulpes velox
      • Kit Fox
        Kit Fox

        The 'Kit Fox' is a relatively common North American fox. Its range extends into northern Mexico. Some mammalogists classify it as conspecific with the Swift Fox V....
        , Vulpes macrotis
      • Corsac Fox
        Corsac Fox

        The Corsac Fox , also known as the Steppe Fox, is a medium sized Asiatic fox species spread throughout the central steppes of Asia. It is very social and lives in "corsac cities" where animals have several dens with connected holes....
        , Vulpes corsac
      • Cape Fox
        Cape Fox

        The Cape Fox , also called the Cama Fox or the Silver-backed Fox, is a small fox.It has black or silver gray fur with flanks and underside in light yellow....
        , Vulpes chama
      • Pale Fox
        Pale Fox

        The Pale Fox is a species of fox which inhabits the semiarid regions of the Sahel from Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east. It is widespread throughout the Sahel but its environmental status is described as "data deficient" due to lack of intensified study of the Pale Fox in the wild....
        , Vulpes pallida
      • Bengal Fox
        Bengal Fox

        The Bengal Fox , also known as the Indian Fox, is a fox endemism to the Indian subcontinent and is found from the Himalayan foothills and Terai of Nepal through southern India and from southern and eastern Pakistan to eastern India and southeastern Bangladesh....
        , Vulpes bengalensis
      • Tibetan Sand Fox, Vulpes ferrilata
      • Blanford's Fox
        Blanford's Fox

        The Blanford's Fox , is a small fox found in certain regions of the Middle East....
        , Vulpes cana
      • Rόppell's Fox
        Rόppell's Fox

        R?ppell's Fox , also spelled Rueppell's Fox and also called the Sand Fox, is a species of fox living in North Africa and the Middle East, from Morocco to Afghanistan....
        , Vulpes rueppelli
      • Fennec Fox, Vulpes zerda
    • Genus Urocyon
      Urocyon

      The genus Urocyon is a genus that contains two living Western Hemisphere foxes in the family Canidae, the Gray Fox and the closely-related Island Fox which is a insular dwarfism cousin of the Gray Fox; as well as one fossil species, Urocyon progressus....
       (2 Ma to present)
      • Gray Fox
        Gray Fox

        The Gray Fox is a mammal of the order Carnivora ranging throughout most of the southern half of North America from southern Canada to northern Venezuela and Colombia....
        , U. cinereoargenteus
      • Island Fox
        Island Fox

        The Island Fox is a small fox that is native to six of the eight Channel Islands of California. It is the second smallest fox species in the United States....
        , U. littoralis
      • Cozumel Fox
        Cozumel Fox

        The Cozumel Fox is an unnamed species of fox which is apparently close to extinction or even already extinct. It is found on the island of Cozumel, Mexico....
        , U. sp.


  • Basal Caninae
    • Genus Otocyon (probably a vulpine close to Urocyon)
      • Bat-eared Fox
        Bat-eared Fox

        The Bat-eared Fox is a canidae of the African savanna, named for its large ears. The Bat-eared Fox has tawny fur with black ears, legs and parts of the face....
        , Otocyon megalotis
    • Genus Nyctereutes
      • Raccoon Dog
        Raccoon Dog

        The Raccoon Dog is a member of the Canidae family and is indigenous to east Asia. It is the only extant taxon species in its genus Nyctereutes....
        , Nyctereutes procyonoides


Fossil Canidae

Classification of Hesperocyoninae from Wang (1994) and Borophaginae from Wang et al. (1999), except where noted.

Prehistoric Caninae
  • Canini
    • Genus Canis
      Canis

      Canis is a genus containing 7 to 10 extant species and many extinct species, including dogs, Wolf , coyotes, and jackals....
      • Dire Wolf
        Dire Wolf

        The Dire Wolf is an extinction Carnivora mammal of the genus Canis, and was most common in North America and South America during the Pleistocene....
        , Canis dirus (1 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Canis arnensis (3.4 Ma, †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Canis (Eucyon) cipio (8.2 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        , probably first species of Canis genus)
      • Canis etruscus (3.4 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Canis mosbachensis (0.787 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Canis lepophagus (4-5 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Canis donnezani (4.0-3.1 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        , probably ancestor of wolves)
      • Canis edwardii (1.8 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        , first species of wolf in North America)
      • Canis gezi †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
      • Canis nehringi †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
      • Canis ameghinoi †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
      • Canis michauxi †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
      • Canis adoxus †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
      • Canis cautleyi †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
      • Canis armbrusteri (0.8 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
    • Genus Theriodictis (1.8 Ma †
      Extinction

      In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
      )
      • Theriodictis platensis (1.8 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Theriodictis tarijensis (1.8 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Theriodictis (Canis) proplatensis (2.1 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
         )
    • Genus Protocyon †
      Extinction

      In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
      • Protocyon orcesi †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
      • Protocyon scagliarum †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
      • Protocyon troglodytes †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
    • Genus Dusicyon †
      Extinction

      In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
      • Dusicyon avus †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
    • Genus Cerdocyon
      • Cerdocyon avius
        Cerdocyon avius

        Cerdocyon avius is an extinct species of canine closely related to the crab-eating fox.C. avius was about 80 cm long and probably had habits similar to those of its extant relative. It is found in Baja California....
         †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
      • Cerdocyon ensenadensis †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
    • Genus Speothos
      • Speothos pacivorus
        Speothos pacivorus

        }Speothos pacivorus is an extinct relative of the Bush Dog whose fossils date from the late Pleistocene. When compared to the Bush Dog, S. pacivorus had an overall larger body size and a double-rooted second lower molar....
         †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
    • Genus Nurocyon
      • Nurocyon chonokhariensis †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
    • Genus Xenocyon
      • Xenocyon falconeri (2.6 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Xenocyon lycaonoides
        Xenocyon lycaonoides

        Xenocyon lycaonoides or African Wolf is an extinct canid from the Pleistocene of Africa and Eurasia. It preyed on antelopes, deer, elephant calves, aurochs, baboons, wild horses and perhaps humans....


  • Vulpini
    • Genus Vulpes
      Vulpes

      Vulpes is a genus of the Canidae family. It includes the true foxes, although there are species in other genera whose common names include the word "fox"....
       (7 Ma to present)
      • Vulpes alopecoides (2.6 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Vulpes cf. alopecoides (2.6 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Vulpes cf. vulpes (0.1275 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Vulpes galaticus (4.2 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Vulpes riffautae (7 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
  • Basal Canids
    • Genus Nyctereutes (7.1 Ma to present)
      • Nyctereutes cf. donnezani (7.1 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Nyctereutes cf. megamastoides (3.158 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Nyctereutes donnezani
        Nyctereutes donnezani

        Nyctereutes donnezani is an extinct relative of the Raccoon Dog. It has been found in Spain, Poland, Germany, and Turkey....
         (3.4 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Nyctereutes megamostoides (2.6 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Nyctereutes sinensis (3.4 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )


  • First Caninae
    • Genus Eucyon (8 Ma †)
      • Eucyon davisi (8.3 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        , probably ancestor of Canis)
      • Eucyon minor (8 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Eucyon zhoui (8 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Eucyon monticinensis(8 Ma †
        Extinction

        In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
        )
      • Eucyon odessanus †
    • Genus Leptocyon
      Leptocyon

      Leptocyon is an extinct ancient canine ancestor of today's foxes and dogs, that lived during the Early Miocene 23 Mya with Nothocyon leading to the Borophaginae and 2nd and 3rd canine radiations....
       (24-16 Ma †)
      • Leptocyon vafer (16 Ma)
      • Leptocyon vulpinus (24 Ma)


Borophaginae
Borophaginae

The subfamily Borophaginae is an extinct group of canids that were Endemism to North America, and lived from roughly 40 to 2.5 million years ago ....
 : †
Extinction

In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
 (Ma
Annum

Annum is one form of the Latin noun meaning year, not a form normally used for derivatives in modern languages: the accusative case Grammatical number of the second declension grammatical gender noun annus , anni ....
 = million years ago)
    • Genus Aelurodon
      Aelurodon

      Aelurodon is an extinct genus of the subfamily Borophaginae. Part of a clade of canids loosely known as "bone-crushing" or "hyena-like" dogs, Aelurodon apparently descended from the earlier genera...
       (16-12 Ma)
      • Aelurodon asthenostylus (16 Ma)
      • Aelurodon ferox (15 Ma)
      • Aelurodon mcgrewi (15 Ma)
      • Aelurodon montanensis (15 Ma)
      • Aelurodon stirtoni (13 Ma)
      • Aelurodon taxoides (12 Ma)
    • Genus Archaeocyon
      Archaeocyon

      Archaeocyon is the most primitive genus in the subfamily Borophaginae, an extinct subgroup of the family Canidae, which includes living dogs, wolf, and foxes....
       (32-24 Ma)
      • Archaeocyon falkenbachi (25-24 Ma)
      • Archaeocyon leptodus (32-24 Ma)
      • Archaeocyon pavidus (32-28 Ma)
    • Genus Borophagus
      Borophagus

      Borophagus is an extinct genus of the subfamily Borophaginae, a group of canids loosely known as "bone-crushing" or "hyena-like" dogs. Borophagus is the Biological type genus....
       (12-5 Ma)
      • Borophagus dividersidens (5 Ma)
      • Borophagus dudleyi
      • Borophagus hilli (6 Ma)
      • Borophagus littoralis (12 Ma)
      • Borophagus orc (9 Ma)
      • Borophagus parvus (7 Ma)
      • Borophagus pugnator (9 Ma)
      • Borophagus secundus (9 Ma)
    • Genus Carpocyon
      • Carpocyon compressus
      • Carpocyon limosus
      • Carpocyon robustus
      • Carpocyon webbi
    • Genus Cormocyon
      • Cormocyon copei
      • Cormocyon haydeni
    • Genus Cynarctoides (30-18 Ma)
      • Cynarctoides acridens (24 Ma)
      • Cynarctoides emryi (21 Ma)
      • Cynarctoides gawnae (18 Ma)
      • Cynarctoides harlowi (21 Ma)
      • Cynarctoides lemur (30 Ma)
      • Cynarctoides luskensis (21 Ma)
      • Cynarctoides roii (30 Ma)
    • Genus Cynarctus
      Cynarctus

      Cynarctus is an extinct genus of Borophaginae dog from the Miocene of North America....
       (16-12 Ma)
      • Cynarctus crucidens (12 Ma)
      • Cynarctus galushai (16 Ma)
      • ?Cynarctus marylandica
      • Cynarctus saxatilis (15 Ma)
      • Cynarctus voorhiesi (13 Ma)
    • Genus Desmocyon (24-19 Ma)
      • Desmocyon matthewi (19 Ma)
      • Desmocyon thompsoni (24 Ma)
    • Genus Epicyon
      Epicyon

      Epicyon is an extinct canid genus of the subfamily Borophaginae , native to Miocene North America. This genus contained several species of the largest canids to have ever lived, such as Epicyon haydeni, which stood 37 inches tall at the shoulder....
       (12-10 Ma)
      • Epicyon aelurodontoides (10.3-4.9 Ma)
      • Epicyon haydeni (10 Ma)
      • Epicyon saevus (12 Ma)
    • Genus Eulopocyon (18-16 Ma)
      • Eulopocyon brachygnathus (16 Ma)
      • Eulopocyon spissidens (18 Ma)
    • Genus Metatomarctus (19-16 Ma)
      • Metatomarctus canavus (19 Ma)
      • Metatomarctus sp. A (16 Ma)
      • Metatomarctus sp. B (16 Ma)
    • Genus Microtomarctus (18 Ma)
      • Microtomarctus conferta (18 Ma)
    • Genus Otarocyon (34-30 Ma)
      • Otarocyon cooki (30 Ma)
      • Otarocyon macdonaldi (34 Ma)
    • Genus Oxetocyon
      Oxetocyon

      Oxetocyon is an early member of the subfamily Borophaginae, an extinct subgroup of the family Canidae, which includes living dogs, wolf, and foxes....
       (32 Ma)
      • Oxetocyon cuspidatus (32 Ma)
    • Genus Paracynarctus (19-16 Ma)
      • Paracynarctus kelloggi (19 Ma)
      • Paracynarctus sinclairi (16 Ma)
    • Genus Paratomarctus (16-13 Ma)
      • Paratomarctus euthos (13 Ma)
      • Paratomarctus temerarius (16 Ma)
    • Genus Phlaocyon
      Phlaocyon

      Phlaocyon is an extinct genus of canidae.Phlaocyon was about in body length, and looked more like a cat or raccoon than a dog, but its skull anatomy shows it to be a primitive canine....
       (30-19 Ma)
      • Phlaocyon achoros
      • Phlaocyon annectens (22 Ma)
      • Phlaocyon latidens (30 Ma)
      • Phlaocyon leucosteus (22 Ma)
      • Phlaocyon mariae
      • Phlaocyon marslandensis (19 Ma)
      • Phlaocyon minor (30 Ma)
      • Phlaocyon multicuspus
      • Phlaocyon taylori
      • Phlaocyon yakolai (19 Ma)
    • Genus Protepicyon (16 Ma)
      • Protepicyon raki (16 Ma)
    • Genus Protomarctus (18 Ma)
      • Protomarctus optatus (18 Ma)
    • Genus Psalidocyon (16 Ma)
      • Psalidocyon marianae (16 Ma)
    • Genus Rhizocyon (30 Ma)
      • Rhizocyon oregonensis (30 Ma)
    • Genus Tephrocyon (16 Ma)
      • Tephrocyon rurestris (16 Ma)
    • Genus Tomarctus
      Tomarctus

      Tomarctus is an extinct genus of canine which inhabited most of North America during the Early Miocene to Middle Miocene 23 Mya to 16 Mya....
       (16 Ma)
      • Tomarctus brevirostris (16 Ma)
      • Tomarctus hippophaga (16 Ma)


Hesperocyoninae
Hesperocyoninae

The subfamily Hesperocyoninae is an extinct group of Canidae that were Endemism to North America, and lived from the Eocene through the Miocene , covering some 20 million years....
 : †
Extinction

In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
 (Ma
Annum

Annum is one form of the Latin noun meaning year, not a form normally used for derivatives in modern languages: the accusative case Grammatical number of the second declension grammatical gender noun annus , anni ....
 = million years ago)
    • Genus Cynodesmus
      Cynodesmus

      Cynodesmus is an extinct genus of canine which inhabited North America 34 mya to 25 Mya .Cynodemus was one of the first canidae to truly look dog-like....
       (32-29 Ma)
      • Cynodesmus martini (29 Ma)
      • Cynodesmus thooides (32 Ma)
    • ?Genus Caedocyon
      Caedocyon

      Caedocyon is an extinct genus of dog which inhabited North America 29 mya to 25 Mya, described by Xiaoming Wang in 1994. Only a single species, Caedocyon tedfordi has been named....
      • Caedocyon tedfordi
    • Genus Ectopocynus
      Ectopocynus

      Ectopocynus is an extinct genus of the Family Canidae, which inhabited North America 32 to 18 million years ago, described by Xiaoming Wang in 1994....
       (32-19 Ma)
      • Ectopocynus antiquus (32 Ma)
      • Ectopocynus intermedius (29 Ma)
      • Ectopocynus siplicidens (19 Ma)
    • Genus Enhydrocyon
      Enhydrocyon

      Enhydrocyon is an extinct genus of dog which inhabited North America 29 mya to 21 Mya, described by Edward Drinker Cope in 1879....
       (29-25 Ma)
      • Enhydrocyon basilatus (25 Ma)
      • Enhydrocyon crassidens (25 Ma)
      • Enhydrocyon pahinsintewkpa (29 Ma)
      • Enhydrocyon stenocephalus (29 Ma)
    • Genus Hesperocyon
      Hesperocyon

      Hesperocyon is an extinct genus of canids and the most early of the canids to evolve after the Caniformia-Feliformia split some 42 million year ago....
       (39.74-34 Ma)
      • Hesperocyon coloradensis
      • Hesperocyon gregarius (37 Ma)
    • Genus Mesocyon
      Mesocyon

      Mesocyon is an extinct genus of dog which inhabited North America 34 mya to 21 Mya, described by William Berryman Scott in 1890. Mesocyon was a member of the extinct subfamily Hesperocyoninae, which includes the earliest canids....
       (34-29 Ma)
      • Mesocyon brachyops (29 Ma)
      • Mesocyon coryphaeus (29 Ma)
      • Mesocyn temnodon
    • Genus Osbornodon
      Osbornodon

      Osbornodon is an extinct genus of canids Seven known species of the genus Osbornodon existed, including Osbornodon fricki , Osbornodon iamonensis , Osbornodon renjiei , and Osbornodon sesnoni ....
       (32-18 Ma)
      • Osbornodon brachypus
      • Osbornodon fricki (18 Ma)
      • Osbornodon iamonensis (21 Ma)
      • Osbornodon renjiei (33 Ma)
      • Osbornodon scitulus
      • Osbornodon sesnoni (32 Ma)
      • Osbornodon wangi
    • Genus Paraenhydrocyon
      Paraenhydrocyon

      Paraenhydrocyon is a genus of the earliest-known doglike creatures, described by Xiaoming Wang in 1994. They were about the size of a coyote, and lived during the Oligocene era ....
       (30-25 Ma)
      • Paraenhydrocyon josephi (30 Ma)
      • Paraenhydrocyon robustus (25 Ma)
      • Paraenhydrocyon wallovianus (26 Ma)
    • Genus Philotrox
      Philotrox

      Philotrox is an extinct genus of dog which inhabited North America 29 to 27 million years ago, named by John C. Merriam in 1906. Only a single species, Philotrox condoni, is recognized....
       (29 Ma)
      • Philotrox condoni (29 Ma)
    • Genus Prohesperocyon
      Prohesperocyon

      Prohesperocyon is an extinct genus of carnivore named by Xiaoming Wang in 1994. Only a single species, Prohesperocyon wilsoni, is recognized....
       (36 Ma)
      • Prohesperocyon wilsoni (36 Ma)
    • Genus Sunkahetanka
      Sunkahetanka

      Sunkahetanka is an extinct genus of dog which inhabited North America 29 to 27 million years ago, named by J. Reid Macdonald in 1963. Only a single species, Sunkahetanka geringensis, is recognized....
       (29 Ma)
      • Sunkahetanka geringensis (29 Ma)


See also

  • Canine reproduction

General references

Xiaoming Wang, Richard H. Tedford, Mauricio Antσn, Dogs: Their Fossil Relatives and Evolutionary History, New York : Columbia University Press, 2008; ISBN 978-0-231-13528-3

External links