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Aenocyon dirus (dire wolf)

Mammalia - Carnivora - Canidae

Taxonomy
Canis dirus was named by Leidy (1858). Its type specimen is ANSP 11614, a maxilla, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Ohio River at Evansville, which is in a Pleistocene terrestrial horizon in Indiana.

It was recombined as Canis (Aenocyon) dirus by Stock et al. (1946); it was recombined as Aenocyon dirus by Merriam (1918), Hibbard (1949), Hibbard and Taylor (1960), Ruiz-Ramoni et al. (2022) and Prevosti (2023).

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1833Canis primaevus Hodgson
1836Canis himalaicus Ogilby
1854Canis primaevus Leidy
1855Cuon buansu Gervais
1858Canis dirus Leidy p. 21
1863Cuon grayformis Hodgson
1869Canis indianensis Leidy
1873Canis indianensis Leidy p. 230
1875Cuon primaevus Bourguignat
1876Canis mississippiensis Allen p. 49
1902Canis dirus Hay p. 775
1902Canis indianensis Hay p. 775
1903Canis indianensis Merriam p. 288 figs. Pl. 30, Fig. 2
1916Canis ayersi Sellards p. 121
1918Aenocyon ayersi Merriam
1918Aenocyon dirus Merriam
1929Canis ayersi Simpson
1931Canis dirus Elftman p. 5
1940Canis dirus Olson p. 42
1940Canis ayersi Olson p. 44
1946Canis (Aenocyon) dirus Stock et al. p. 109
1949Aenocyon dirus Hibbard
1960Aenocyon dirus Hibbard and Taylor
1966Canis dirus Slaughter p. 481
1972Canis dirus Kurten and Anderson
1972Canis dirus Lundelius, Jr.
1974Canis dirus Martin
1979Canis dirus Nowak
1980Canis dirus Kurten and Anderson p. 171
1984Canis dirus Kurten
1988Canis dirus Berta
2008Canis dirus Wang et al.
2009Canis dirus Tedford et al. p. 144 figs. 40, 43, 44, 56A–F; appendices 2, 3
2019Canis dirus Albright et al. p. 173
2021Canis dirus Lu et al.
2022Aenocyon dirus Ruiz-Ramoni et al. p. 103
2023Aenocyon dirus Prevosti

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
subclassSynapsida
—Therapsida()
infraorderCynodontia()
RankNameAuthor
—Mammaliamorpha
—Mammaliaformes
classMammalia
—Cladotheria
—Zatheria
subclassTribosphenida()
subclassTheria
—Eutheria()
—Placentalia
—Boreoeutheria
—Laurasiatheria
—Scrotifera
—Ferae()
—CarnivoramorphaWyss and Flynn 1993
—CarnivoraformesFlynn et al.
orderCarnivora
familyCanidae
subfamilyCaninaeGill 1872
genusAenocyon
speciesdirus()

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.

†Aenocyon dirus Leidy 1858 [dire wolf]
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Invalid names: Canis ayersi Sellards 1916 [synonym], Canis indianensis Leidy 1869 [synonym], Canis mississippiensis Allen 1876 [synonym], Canis nehringi Ameghino 1902 [synonym], Canis primaevus Hodgson 1833 [synonym]
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
R. H. Tedford et al. 2009Canis dirus is distinguished by a number of autapomorphies related to hypercarnivory: loss of m2 anterolabial cingulum; wide palate; greatly reduced m1–m2 metaconids and entoconids; greatly reduced M1–M2 hypocones; very weak or discontinuous anterolingual cingu- lum across M1 protocone. It shares with C. armbrusteri two synapomorphies: short and little recurved canine, and a reduced P4 protocone. With C. lupus it shares four additional synapomorphies: paroccipital pro- cess strongly expanded posteriorly; frontal sinus reaching the frontoparietal suture; long incisive foramina that extend to or behind canine alveoli; M1 parastyle very weak, preparacrista directed anteriorly, not to parastyle.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: terrestrialsubc
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: ground dwellingf
Diet: carnivoref
Diet 2: omnivoref
Reproduction: viviparoussubc
Created: 2005-06-08 10:11:09
Modified: 2005-08-22 19:28:06
Source: f = family, subc = subclass, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Hendy et al. 2009, Carroll 1988, Ji et al. 2002, Nowak 1991, Lillegraven 1979

Age range: base of the Irvingtonian to the top of the Rancholabrean or 1.80000 to 0.01200 Ma

Collections (85 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Late/Upper Pliocene - Early/Lower Pleistocene3.6 - 0.781Venezuela (Monagas) Aenocyon dirus (204068)
Early/Lower Pleistocene2.588 - 0.781Bolivia (Tarija ) Canis dirus (70673)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117Peru Canis dirus (197959)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (Indiana) Canis dirus (231075)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (South Carolina) Canis dirus (65405)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (Tennessee) Aenocyon ayersi (74240)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (Florida) Canis dirus (227368)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (California) Canis dirus (237076)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (Texas) Canis dirus (93257)
Irvingtonian1.8 - 0.3USA (California) Canis armbrusteri (20327) Canis dirus (20387)
Irvingtonian1.8 - 0.3USA (Nebraska) Canis dirus (20138 20347 20376 20501)
Irvingtonian1.8 - 0.3USA (South Dakota) Canis dirus (20503)
Irvingtonian1.8 - 0.3Mexico (Aguascalientes) Canis dirus (20283)
Irvingtonian1.8 - 0.3USA (Florida) Canis dirus (20520)
Irvingtonian1.8 - 0.3USA (Kansas) Aenocyon dirus (20295) Canis dirus (20166)
Irvingtonian - Rancholabrean1.8 - 0.012USA (Florida) Canis dirus (20419)
Middle Pleistocene0.774 - 0.129USA (California) Canis dirus (20639)
Rancholabrean (glacial)0.3 - 0.012USA (California) Canis dirus (20624)
Rancholabrean0.3 - 0.012USA (South Carolina) Canis dirus (79757 79918 206993)
Rancholabrean0.3 - 0.012Mexico (Sonora) Canis dirus (20495)
Rancholabrean0.3 - 0.012USA (California) Canis dirus (85314 150336)
Rancholabrean0.3 - 0.012USA (Florida) Canis dirus (20398 20491 195112)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (late glacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (Wyoming) Canis sp. (93181)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (high glacial)0.129 - 0.0117Venezuela (Zulia) Canis dirus (63515)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Florida) Aenocyon ayersi (74292 154910) Canis ayersi (34269) Canis dirus (20638 154804 154805)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Pennsylvania) Canis dirus (104797)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Chile (Region 1) Aenocyon dirus (230908)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (Indiana) Canis dirus (20600)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Virginia) Canis dirus (103991 104758)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (Utah) Canis dirus (20641)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (West Virginia) Canis dirus (93332)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Arizona) Canis dirus (20619)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (late glacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (Missouri) Canis dirus (75995)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (Florida) Canis dirus (20572 20573 20580 20594 20636)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (high glacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (New Mexico) Canis dirus (76059)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Canada (Alberta) Canis dirus (232472)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Peru Canis sp. (71346)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (glacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (Florida) Canis ayersi (154771) Canis dirus (154921)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Kentucky) Canis dirus (74141)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Texas) Canis ayersi (85142) Canis dirus (79683 230753)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (California) Canis dirus (20628 20642)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (late glacial)0.129 - 0.0117Mexico (San Luis Potosi) Canis dirus (71277)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (late glacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (Florida) Canis dirus (154722)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Mexico (Mexico) Aenocyon dirus (227227)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Missouri) Canis dirus (93379 236672)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (high glacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (Texas) Aenocyon dirus (93103)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (California) Aenocyon dirus (79630) Canis dirus (20273 73752 155409)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Peru (Piura) Canis dirus (144976)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (South Carolina) Canis dirus (79923)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (glacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (California) Canis indianensis (155393)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Mexico (Nuevo Leon) Canis dirus (71345)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Oregon) Canis dirus (93251)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (Idaho) Canis dirus (20569)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117France Cuon primaevus (86271)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117China (Heilongjiang) Canis dirus (230983)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Venezuela (Falcon) Aenocyon dirus (145376)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (late glacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (Texas) Aenocyon dirus (79581)