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Canis (canine)

Mammalia - Carnivora - Canidae

Taxonomy
Canis was named by Linnaeus (1758). It is extant.

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. olivolanus, C. majori), C. familiaris (syn. Pachycyon robustus), C. feneus, C. geismarianus, C. gezi (syn. Macrocyon chapalmalensis), C. hewitti, C. incertus, C. latidentatus, C. latrans (syn. C. orcutti, C. ochropus, C. microdon, C. nebrascensis, C. mearnsi, C. hondurensis, C. impavidus, C. peninsulae, C. caneloensis, C. clepticus, Lyciscus cagottis, C. jamesi, C. estor, C. goldmani, C. vigilis, C. frustror, C. andersoni, C. riviveronis, C. irvingtonensis, C. lestes), C. lepophagus, C. longdanensis, C. lupaster (syn. C. anthus), C. lupus (syn. Lupus laniger, C. chanco, C. pambasileus, C. niger, Lupus tschiliensis, C. lycaon, C. variabilis, C. milleri, C. tundrarum, C. hodophilax, C. pallipes, Lupus filchneri, Lupus gigas, C. petrolei, Lupus orientalis, Lupus karanorensis, C. furlongi, Lupus altaicus, C. nubilus, C. occidentalis), C. lydekkeri, C. megamastoides, C. michauxi, C. monticinensis, C. mosbachensis, C. osorum, C. othmanii, C. palaeoplatensis, C. palmidens, C. proplatensis, C. rufus (syn. C. priscolatrans, Lupus niger, C. floridanus), C. sechurae, C. senezensis, C. simensis, C. tarijensis, C. teilhardi, C. thooides, C. troglodytes (syn. C. spelaeus), C. variabilis, C. vetulus, Nyctereutes terblanchei
Species lacking formal opinion data
C. kronstadtensis, C. multicuspus, C. ocropus, C. orientalis

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1758Canis Linnaeus p. 38
1825Canis Gray p. 339
1839Lyciscus Hamilton-Smith
1860Canis Leidy p. 116
1873Canis Leidy p. 315
1875Canis Bourguignat
1885Pachycyon Allen p. 4
1902Canis Ameghino
1902Canis Hay p. 775
1902Pachycyon Hay p. 776
1935Canis Schultz and Howard p. 284
1955Canis Hibbard p. 51
1967Canis Wilson p. 211
1970Canis Bjork p. 13
1978Canis van Gelder
1980Canis Kurten and Anderson p. 167
1988Canis Carroll
1989Canis Shoshani et al. p. 436
1995Canis Capasso Barbato and Gliozzi p. 239
1997Canis Geraads p. 150
2005Canis Cisneros p. 245
2008Canis Burney et al. p. 19
2008Canis Garrido and Arribas
2008Canis Wang et al.
2009Canis Tedford et al. p. 104
2010Canis Werdelin and Peigne p. 615
2011Canis Geraads
2017Canis Amri et al.
2017Canis Medin et al. p. 30
2018Canis Eshelman et al. p. 8
2018Canis Jiangzuo et al. p. 95
2019Canis Albright et al. p. 172
2022Canis Bartolini-Lucenti and Spassov
2022Canis Koufos
2023Canis Fourvel and Frerebeau
2023Canis 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()
—Mammaliamorpha
RankNameAuthor
—Mammaliaformes
classMammalia
—Theriamorpha(Rowe 1993)
—Theriiformes()
—Trechnotheria
—Cladotheria
—Zatheria
subclassTribosphenida()
subclassTheria
—Eutheria()
—Placentalia
—Boreoeutheria
—Laurasiatheria
—Scrotifera
—Ferae()
—CarnivoramorphaWyss and Flynn 1993
—CarnivoraformesFlynn et al.
orderCarnivora
familyCanidae
subfamilyCaninaeGill 1872
genusCanis

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]
show all | hide all
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 sagax Linnaeus 1758
Invalid names: Pachycyon robustus Allen 1885 [synonym]
†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]
+
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 orcutti Merriam 1910 [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]
+
Invalid names: Canis anthus Cuvier 1820 [synonym]
Canis lupus Linnaeus 1758 [gray wolf]
+
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
+
+
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: Lyciscus Hamilton-Smith 1839 [synonym], Nyctereutes terblanchei Broom 1948 [nomen dubium], Pachycyon Allen 1885 [synonym]
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
R. H. Tedford et al. 2009Synapomorphies 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.
Body mass estimates
estimateequationreference
 20.8 kg Mammalia femur diameterGingerich 1990
 33.8 kg Mammalia humerus diameterGingerich 1990
 7.92 kg Mammalia tibia diameterGingerich 1990
mean: 17.7 kg
Measurements
partNmean
femur diameter115.3
humerus diameter119.0
radius diameter110.0
tibia diameter110.2

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: Lillegraven 1979, Nowak 1991, Carroll 1988, Ji et al. 2002, Hendy et al. 2009

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Miocene to the top of the Holocene or 23.03000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 18.5 Ma

Collections (605 total)

Oldest occurrences

Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Arikareean29.5 - 18.5USA (Oregon) Canis geismarianus (180202)
Miocene - Pliocene23.03 - 2.588South Africa Canis sp. (22220 22229)
Neogene23.03 - 2.58Italy Canis sp. (96713)
Late/Upper Miocene - Early/Lower Pleistocene11.608 - 0.781Spain (Castellón) Canis etruscus (183092)
Hemphillian10.3 - 4.9USA (Nebraska) Canis sp. (18201)
Hemphillian10.3 - 4.9USA (Nevada) Canis sp. (18900)
Late/Upper Hemphillian10.3 - 4.9USA (Nebraska) Canis lepophagus (18359)
Late/Upper Hemphillian - Blancan10.3 - 1.8USA (Indiana) Canis sp. (18320)
Turolian8.7 - 5.333Spain (Aragon) Canis cipio (35339)
Messinian - Piacenzian7.246 - 2.588South Africa (Cape) Canis sp. (59167)
Early/Lower Pliocene5.333 - 3.6China (Hebei) Canis sp., Canis multicuspus (36318)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6South Africa Canis brevirostris (22221)
Ruscinian5.333 - 3.2Russian Federation (Stavropol'skaya) Canis sp. (40394)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.588Russian Federation (Rostovskaya Oblast') Canis senezensis (39410) Canis sp. (39409)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.588Romania Canis sp. (40113)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.588France (Pyrénées-Orientales) Canis adoxus (231014) Canis michauxi (181093)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.588Italy Canis etruscus (96741)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.588Tanzania (Eastern Drift Valley) Canis brevirostris (32050)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.588Georgia Canis etruscus (39882) Canis sp. (40392)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.588Tajikistan Canis etruscus (34445) Canis kuruksaensis (34444) Canis sp. (34395)