PBDB Taxon

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Morphology	Ecology and taphonomy	External Literature Search	Age range and collections

Canis (canine)

Mammalia - Carnivora - Canidae

Taxonomy

Canis was named by Linnaeus (1758). It is extant. Its type is Canis familiaris.

It was assigned to Ferae by Linnaeus (1758); to Canina by Gray (1825); to Carnivora by Leidy (1860); to Canina by Wang et al. (2008) and Tedford et al. (2009); to Canini by Garrido and Arribas (2008), Amri et al. (2017), Jiangzuo et al. (2018) and Bartolini-Lucenti and Spassov (2022); to Canidae by Leidy (1873), Bourguignat (1875), Ameghino (1902), Schultz and Howard (1935), Hibbard (1955), Wilson (1967), van Gelder (1978), Kurten and Anderson (1980), Carroll (1988), Shoshani et al. (1989), Capasso Barbato and Gliozzi (1995), Geraads (1997), Cisneros (2005), Burney et al. (2008), Werdelin and Peigne (2010), Geraads (2011), Medin et al. (2017), Eshelman et al. (2018) and Koufos (2022); and to Caninae by Hay (1902), Bjork (1970), Albright et al. (2019), Prevosti (2023) and Fourvel and Frerebeau (2023).

Species

C. (Epicyon), C. accitanus, C. adoxus, C. apolloniensis, C. armbrusteri, C. arnensis, C. aureus, C. borjgali, C. cana, C. cedazoensis, C. ceylonicus, C. chihliensis, C. cipio, C. culpaeus, C. dingo, C. edwardii, C. etruscus (syn. C. majori, C. olivolanus), C. familiaris (syn. Pachycyon robustus) (type species), C. feneus, C. geismarianus, C. gezi (syn. Macrocyon chapalmalensis), C. hewitti, C. incertus, C. latidentatus, C. latrans (syn. C. estor, C. frustror, C. lestes, C. microdon, C. hondurensis, C. mearnsi, C. impavidus, C. riviveronis, C. nebrascensis, C. jamesi, C. caneloensis, C. vigilis, C. peninsulae, C. ochropus, C. irvingtonensis, C. clepticus, C. goldmani, Lyciscus cagottis, C. andersoni), C. lepophagus, C. longdanensis, C. lupaster (syn. C. anthus), C. lupus (syn. C. tundrarum, Lupus filchneri, C. chanco, C. hodophilax, Lupus altaicus, C. milleri, Lupus karanorensis, C. variabilis, Lupus orientalis, C. pallipes, C. occidentalis, C. pambasileus, C. niger, C. petrolei, Lupus laniger, Lupus gigas, C. nubilus, Lupus tschiliensis, C. furlongi, C. lycaon), C. lydekkeri, C. megamastoides, C. michauxi, C. monticinensis, C. mosbachensis, C. osorum, C. othmanii, C. palaeoplatensis, C. palmidens, C. proplatensis, C. rufus (syn. Lupus niger, C. floridanus, C. priscolatrans), C. sechurae, C. senezensis, C. simensis, C. tarijensis, C. teilhardi, C. thooides, C. troglodytes (syn. C. spelaeus), C. variabilis, C. vetulus, Lupulus, Nyctereutes terblanchei, Thos terblanchei

Species lacking formal opinion data

C. kronstadtensis, C. multicuspus, C. ocropus, C. orientalis

Sister genera

Lupulus

Synonyms

Thos was named by Bogachev.

It was synonymized subjectively with Canis by Tedford et al. (2009).

It was assigned to Carnivora by Belyaeva (1948).
Pachycyon was named by Allen (1885). It is not extant. Its type is Pachycyon robustus.

It was synonymized subjectively with Canis by Berta (1988).

It was assigned to Canidae by Allen (1885); and to Caninae by Hay (1902).
Macrocyon was named by Kraglievich. It is not extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Canis by Tedford et al. (2009).
Lyciscus was named by Hamilton-Smith (1839).

It was synonymized subjectively with Canis by Nelson (1932), Hall (1981) and Tedford et al. (2009).
Vulpicanis was named by de Blainville (1837).

It was synonymized subjectively with Canis by Tedford et al. (2009).
Sacalius was named by Smith (1839).

It was synonymized subjectively with Canis by Tedford et al. (2009).
Oxygous was named by Hodgson (1841).

It was synonymized subjectively with Canis by Tedford et al. (2009).
Lupulus was named by Gervais (1855).

It was considered a nomen nudum by Tedford et al. (2009).
Dieba was named by Gray (1869).

It was synonymized subjectively with Canis by Tedford et al. (2009).
Alopedon was named by Hilzheimer (1906).

It was synonymized subjectively with Canis by Tedford et al. (2009).
Oreocyon was named by Krumbiegel (1949). It is not extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Canis by Tedford et al. (2009).
Dasycyon was named by Krumbiegel (1953). It is not extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Canis by Tedford et al. (2009).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1758	Canis Linnaeus p. 38
1825	Canis Gray p. 339
1837	Vulpicanis de Blainville
1839	Lyciscus Hamilton-Smith
1839	Sacalius Smith
1841	Oxygous Hodgson
1855	Lupulus Gervais
1860	Canis Leidy p. 116
1869	Dieba Gray
1873	Canis Leidy p. 315
1875	Canis Bourguignat
1885	Pachycyon Allen p. 4
1902	Canis Ameghino
1902	Canis Hay p. 775
1902	Pachycyon Hay p. 776
1906	Alopedon Hilzheimer
1935	Canis Schultz and Howard p. 284
1948	Thos Belyaeva
1949	Oreocyon Krumbiegel
1953	Dasycyon Krumbiegel
1955	Canis Hibbard p. 51
1967	Canis Wilson p. 211
1970	Canis Bjork p. 13
1978	Canis van Gelder
1980	Canis Kurten and Anderson p. 167
1988	Canis Carroll
1989	Canis Shoshani et al. p. 436
1995	Canis Capasso Barbato and Gliozzi p. 239
1997	Canis Geraads p. 150
2005	Canis Cisneros p. 245
2008	Canis Burney et al. p. 19
2008	Canis Garrido and Arribas
2008	Canis Wang et al.
2009	Canis Tedford et al. p. 104
2010	Canis Werdelin and Peigne p. 615
2011	Canis Geraads
2017	Canis Amri et al.
2017	Canis Medin et al. p. 30
2018	Canis Eshelman et al. p. 8
2018	Canis Jiangzuo et al. p. 95
2019	Canis Albright et al. p. 172
2022	Canis Bartolini-Lucenti and Spassov
2022	Canis Koufos
2023	Canis Fourvel and Frerebeau
2023	Canis Prevosti

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Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Bilateria
—	Eubilateria	Ax 1987
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1874
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
—	Osteichthyes	()
subclass	Sarcopterygii	()
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda
—	Reptiliomorpha
—	Anthracosauria
subclass	Amphibiosauria	Kuhn 1967
—	Cotylosauria	()
—	Amniota
subclass	Synapsida
—	Therapsida	()
infraorder	Cynodontia	()

Rank	Name	Author
—	Mammaliamorpha
—	Mammaliaformes
class	Mammalia
—	Cladotheria
—	Zatheria
subclass	Tribosphenida	()
subclass	Theria
—	Eutheria	()
—	Placentalia
—	Boreoeutheria
—	Laurasiatheria
—	Scrotifera
—	Ferae	()
—	Carnivoramorpha	Wyss and Flynn 1993
—	Carnivoraformes	Flynn et al.
order	Carnivora
family	Canidae
subfamily	Caninae	Gill 1872
genus	Canis

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

G. Canis Linnaeus 1758 [canine]

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Subg. †Canis (Epicyon) Leidy 1858

†Canis accitanus Garrido and Arribas 2008

†Canis adoxus Martin 1971

†Canis apolloniensis Koufos and Kostopoulos 1997

†Canis armbrusteri Gidley 1913

†Canis arnensis Del Campana 1913

Canis aureus Linnaeus 1758 [golden jackal]

†Canis borjgali Bartolini-Lucenti et al. 2020

Canis cana Blanford 1877 [Blanfords fox]

†Canis cedazoensis Mooser and Dalquest 1975

Canis ceylonicus Shaw 1800

†Canis chihliensis Zdansky 1924

†Canis chihliensis palmidens Teilhard de Chardin and Piveteau 1930

†Canis cipio Crusafont-Pairó 1950

Canis culpaeus Molina 1782 [culpeo]

Canis dingo Blumenbach 1780 [dingo]

†Canis edwardii Gazin 1942

†Canis etruscus Forsyth Major 1877

Invalid names: Canis majori Del Campana 1913 [synonym], Canis olivolanus Del Campana 1913 [synonym]

Canis familiaris Linnaeus 1758 [dog]

Canis familiaris aegyptius Linnaeus 1758

Canis familiaris aquaticus Linnaeus 1758

Canis familiaris avicular Linnaeus 1758

Canis familiaris domestic Linnaeus 1758

Canis familiaris extrarius Linnaeus 1758

Canis familiaris fricator Linnaeus 1758

Canis familiaris grajus Linnaeus 1758

Canis familiaris molossus Linnaeus 1758

Canis familiaris sagax Linnaeus 1758

Canis familiaris vertagus Linnaeus 1758

Invalid names: Pachycyon robustus Allen 1885 [synonym]

Canis familiaris melitens Linnaeus 1758

†Canis feneus Tedford et al. 2009

†Canis geismarianus Cope 1878

†Canis gezi Kraglievich 1928

Invalid names: Macrocyon chapalmalensis Frenguelli 1929 [synonym]

†Canis hewitti Fourvel and Frerebeau 2023

†Canis incertus D'Orbigny and Laurillard 1842

†Canis latidentatus Cope 1899

Canis latrans Say 1823 [coyote]

†Canis ochropus orcutti Merriam 1910

Invalid names: Canis andersoni Merriam 1910 [synonym], Canis caneloensis Skinner 1942 [synonym], Canis clepticus Eliot 1903 [synonym], Canis estor Merriam 1897 [synonym], Canis frustror Woodhouse 1851 [synonym], Canis goldmani Merriam 1904 [synonym], Canis hondurensis Goldman 1936 [synonym], Canis impavidus Allen 1903 [synonym], Canis irvingtonensis Savage 1951 [synonym], Canis jamesi Townsend 1912 [synonym], Canis lestes Merriam 1897 [synonym], Canis mearnsi Merriam 1897 [synonym], Canis microdon Merriam 1897 [synonym], Canis nebrascensis Merriam 1898 [synonym], Canis ochropus Eschscholtz 1829 [synonym], Canis peninsulae Merriam 1897 [synonym], Canis riviveronis Hay 1917 [synonym], Canis vigilis Merriam 1897 [synonym], Lyciscus cagottis Hamilton-Smith 1839 [synonym]

†Canis lepophagus Johnston 1938

†Canis longdanensis Qiu et al. 2004

Canis lupaster Hemprich and Eherenberg 1832 [African wolf]

Canis anthus soudanicus Thomas 1911

Invalid names: Canis anthus Cuvier 1820 [synonym]

Canis lupus Linnaeus 1758 [gray wolf]

†Canis occidentalis furlongi Merriam 1910

Invalid names: Canis chanco Gray 1863 [synonym], Canis furlongi Hay 1927 [synonym], Canis hodophilax Temminck 1839 [synonym], Canis lycaon Schreber 1775 [synonym], Canis milleri Merriam 1912 [synonym], Canis niger Sclater 1874 [synonym], Canis nubilus Say 1823 [synonym], Canis occidentalis Richardson 1829 [synonym], Canis pallipes Sykes 1831 [synonym], Canis pambasileus Elliot 1905 [synonym], Canis petrolei Stock 1938 [synonym], Canis tundrarum Miller 1912 [synonym], Canis variabilis Wied-Neuwied 1841 [synonym], Lupus altaicus Noak 1911 [synonym], Lupus filchneri Matschie 1908 [synonym], Lupus gigas Townsend 1850 [synonym], Lupus karanorensis Matschie 1908 [synonym], Lupus laniger Hodgson 1847 [synonym], Lupus orientalis Wagner 1841 [synonym], Lupus tschiliensis Matschie 1908 [synonym]

†Canis lydekkeri Ameghino 1889

†Canis megamastoides Pomel 1842

†Canis michauxi Martin 1971

†Canis monticinensis Rook 1992

†Canis mosbachensis Soergel 1925

†Canis mosbachensis variabilis Pei 1934

Invalid names: Canis cyonoides Pei 1934 [synonym]

†Canis osorum Cope 1873

†Canis othmanii Amri et al. 2017

†Canis palaeoplatensis Ameghino 1891

†Canis palmidens Teilhard de Chardin and Piveteau 1930

†Canis proplatensis Ameghino 1891

Canis rufus Audubon and Bachman 1851 [red wolf]

Invalid names: Canis floridanus Miller 1912 [synonym], Canis priscolatrans Cope 1899 [synonym], Lupus niger Bartram 1791 [synonym]

Canis sechurae Thomas 1900 [Sechuran fox]

†Canis senezensis Martin 1971

Canis simensis Rüppell 1835 [Ethiopian wolf]

†Canis tarijensis Ameghino 1902

†Canis teilhardi Qiu et al. 2004

†Canis thooides Tedford et al. 2009

†Canis troglodytes Lund 1938

Invalid names: Canis spelaeus Lund 1837 [replaced]

†Canis variabilis Pei 1934

Canis vetulus Lund 1842 [Hoary fox]

Invalid names: Alopedon Hilzheimer 1906 [synonym], Canis lupus lunellensis Bonifay 1971 [invalid subgroup], Dasycyon Krumbiegel 1953 [synonym], Dieba Gray 1869 [synonym], Lupulus Gervais 1855 [nomen nudum], Lyciscus Hamilton-Smith 1839 [synonym], Macrocyon Kraglievich [synonym], Nyctereutes terblanchei Broom 1948 [nomen dubium], Oreocyon Krumbiegel 1949 [synonym], Oxygous Hodgson 1841 [synonym], Pachycyon Allen 1885 [synonym], Sacalius Smith 1839 [synonym], Thos Bogachev [synonym], Vulpicanis de Blainville 1837 [synonym]

Diagnosis

Reference	Diagnosis
R. H. Tedford et al. 2009	Synapomorphies that unite species of Canis with those of Cuon, Lycaon, and Xenocyon and serve to distin- guish them from all other members of the Canina are: frontal sinus large, penetrates postorbital process and extends posteriorly to frontoparietal suture; supraoccipital shield triangular in shape, inion usually pointed and overhanging condyles; I3 crown and cingu- lum enlarged; superior fossa of angular process for median pterygoid expanded; p4 with second posterior cusp; m1 entoconid united with hypoconid by cristids; and forelimb long relative to hindlimb. Canis is primitive relative to Cuon, Lycaon, and Xenocyon in its relatively larger canines and lack of such dental adaptations for hypercarnivory as m1–m2 metaconid and entoconid small or absent; M1–M2 hypocone small; M1–M2 lingual cingulum weak; M2 and m2 small, may be single-rooted; m3 small or absent; and wide palate.