Canidae Totally Explained

The Canidae (′kanə′dē, ) family is a part of the order Carnivora within the mammals (Class Mammalia). Members of the family are called canids and include dogs, wolves, foxes, coyotes, dingoes, jackals, and lycaons. The Canidae family is divided into the "true dogs" (or canines) of the tribe Canini and the "foxes" of the tribe Vulpini. The two species of the basal Caninae are more primitive and don't fit into either tribe. These animals are all digitigrades, meaning they walk on their toes.

Classification

Note that the subdivision of Canidae into "foxes" and "true dogs" may not be in accordance with the actual relations, and that the taxonomic classification of several canines is disputed. Recent DNA analysis has shown, however, that Canini (dogs) and Vulpini (foxes) are valid clades, which exclude two genera: Nyctereutes and Otocyon. These are basal canids and are not closely related to either vulpines or canines. (Some evidence also suggests the same for Urocyon.) Speothos and Chrysocyon are primitive members of Canini, but might be placed in their own clade. Cuon and Lycaon may in fact belong in Canis, and there's evidence that Alopex and Fennecus are not valid clades, but are both part of Vulpes.
The Domestic Dog is listed by some authorities as Canis familiaris and others (including the Smithsonian Institution and the American Society of Mammalogists) as a subspecies of the Gray Wolf (for example, Canis lupus familiaris); the Red Wolf, Eastern canadian wolf, and Indian wolf may or may not be full species; and the Dingo is variously classified as Canis dingo, Canis lupus dingo, Canis familiaris dingo and Canis lupus familiaris dingo.

Evolution

Miacids evolved into the Canidae family about 40 million years ago in the late Eocene to early Oligocene. Wolves, foxes, coyotes, jackals and eventually dogs all evolved from the Canidae family. The Canidae family evolved into three subfamilies: Hesperocyoninae (~39.74-15 Ma), Borophaginae (~36-2 Ma), and the Caninae lineage that led to present-day Canidae inclusive of modern-day wolves, foxes, coyotes, jackals and dogs (Canis familiaris). Similar to the ancestry of the dog was the Hesperocyoninae lineage that led to the coyote-sized Mesocyon of the Oligocene (38-24 Ma). Tomarctus, a wolf/dog-like carnivore, was a Borophaginae that roamed North America some 10 million years ago. From the time of Tomarctus, dog-like carnivores have expanded throughout the world. Cynodictis, also a Borophaginae, emerged about 20 million year ago in the Oligocene and also resembled the modern dog. Its fifth toe showed signs of shorting (signs of the development of the dewclaw). The fox-like Leptocyon was a descendant that branched off from the Caninae lineage. Although the civet resembles a cat more than a dog it's said to be a living resemblance of the Cynodictis (Wang, 1994; Wang et al. 1999). FAMILY CANIDAE Subfamily: Caninae

True dogs - Tribe Canini

Genus Canis
- Side-striped Jackal, Canis adustus
- Golden Jackal, Canis aureus
- Himalayan Wolf, Canis himalayaensis
- Indian Wolf, Canis pallipes or Canis indica
- Coyote, Canis latrans (also called Prairie Wolf)
- Eastern Canadian Wolf, Canis lycaon
- Gray Wolf, Canis lupus (2.723 Ma to present)
  - Domestic Dog, Canis lupus familiaris
  - Dingo, most often classified as Canis lupus dingo.
  - many other proposed subspecies
- Red Wolf, Canis rufus, Canis lycaon, or Canis niger (hybrid?) (3 Ma to present)
- Black-backed jackal, Canis mesomelas
- Ethiopian Wolf, Canis simensis (also called Abyssinian Wolf, Simien Fox and Simien Jackal)
Genus Cynotherium †
- Sardinian Dhole, Cynotherium sardous †
Genus Cuon
- Dhole, Cuon alpinus or Canis alpinus (also called Asian Wild Dog)
Genus Lycaon
- African Wild Dog, Lycaon pictus (also called African Hunting Dog)
Genus Atelocynus
- Short-eared Dog, Atelocynus microtis
Genus Cerdocyon
- Crab-eating Fox, Cerdocyon thous
Genus Dasycyon † ?
- Hagenbeck Wolf, Dasycyon hagenbecki † ?
Genus Dusicyon †
- Falkland Island Fox, Dusicyon australis †
Genus Pseudalopex
- Culpeo, Pseudalopex culpaeus
- Darwin's Fox, Pseudalopex fulvipes
- Argentine Grey Fox, Pseudalopex griseus
- Pampas Fox, Pseudalopex gymnocercus
- Sechura Fox, Pseudalopex sechurae
- Hoary Fox, Pseudalopex vetulus
Genus Chrysocyon
- Maned Wolf, Chrysocyon brachyurus
Genus Speothos
- Bush Dog, Speothos venaticus

True foxes - Tribe Vulpini

Genus Alopex
- Arctic Fox, Alopex lagopus
Genus Vulpes
- Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes (1 Ma to present)
- Swift Fox, Vulpes velox
- Kit Fox, Vulpes macrotis
- Corsac Fox (or Steppe Fox), Vulpes corsac
- Cape Fox, Vulpes chama
- Pale Fox, Vulpes pallida
- Bengal Fox, Vulpes bengalensis
- Tibetan Fox, Vulpes ferrilata
- Blanford's Fox, Vulpes cana
- Rüppell's Fox, Vulpes rueppelli
- Fennec, Vulpes zerda
Genus Urocyon (2 Ma to present)
- Gray Fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus
- Island Fox, Urocyon littoralis
- Cozumel Fox, Urocyon sp.

Basal Caninae

Genus Otocyon (present)
- Bat-eared Fox, Otocyon megalotis (propably a vulpine close to Urocyon)
Genus Nyctereutes
- Raccoon Dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides (propably a canine related to Speothos and perhaps Chrysocyon)

Fossil Canidae

Classification of Hesperocyoninae from Wang (1994). Classification of Borophaginae from Wang et al. (1999). Prehistoric Caninae

Canini

Genus Canis
- Dire Wolf, Canis dirus (1 Ma †)
- Canis arnensis (3.4 Ma, †)
- Canis (Eucyon) cipio (8.2 Ma †, probably first species of Canis genus)
- Canis etruscus (3.4 Ma †)
- Canis falconeri (2.6 Ma †)
- Canis mosbachensis (0.787 Ma †)
- Canis lepophagus (4-5 Ma †)
- Canis donnezani (4.0-3.1 Ma †, probably ancestor of wolves)
- Canis edwardii (1.8 Ma †, first species of wolf in North America)
- Canis gezi †
- Canis nehringi †
- Canis ameghinoi †
- Canis michauxi †
- Canis adoxus †
- Canis cautleyi †
- Canis ambrusteri (0.8 Ma †)
Genus Theriodictis (1.8 Ma †)
- Theriodictis platensis (1.8 Ma †)
- Theriodictis tarijensis (1.8 Ma †)
- Theriodictis (Canis) proplatensis (2.1 Ma † )
Genus Protocyon †
- Protocyon orcesi †
- Protocyon scagliarum †
- Protocyon troglodytes †
Genus Dusicyon †
- Dusicyon avus †
Genus Cerdocyon
- Cerdocyon avius †
- Cerdocyon ensenadensis †
Genus Nurocyon
- Nurocyon chonokhariensis †

Vulpini

Genus Vulpes (7 Ma to present)
- Vulpes alopecoides (2.6 Ma †)
- Vulpes cf. alopecoides (2.6 Ma †)
- Vulpes cf. vulpes (0.1275 Ma †)
- Vulpes galaticus (4.2 Ma †)
- Vulpes riffautae (7 Ma †)
Basal Canids
- Genus Nyctereutes (7.1 Ma to present)
  - Nyctereutes cf. donnezani (7.1 Ma †)
  - Nyctereutes cf. megamastoides (3.158 Ma †)
  - Nyctereutes donnezani (3.4 Ma †)
  - Nyctereutes megamostoides (2.6 Ma †)
  - Nyctereutes sinensis (3.4 Ma †)

First Caninae

Genus Eucyon (8 Ma †)
- Eucyon davisi (8.3 Ma †, probably ancestor of Canis)
- Eucyon minor (8 Ma †)
- Eucyon zhoui (8 Ma †)
- Eucyon monticinensis(8 Ma †)
- Eucyon odessanus †
Genus Leptocyon (24-16 Ma †)
- Leptocyon vafer (16 Ma)
- Leptocyon vulpinus (24 Ma)

Borophaginae : † (Ma = million years ago)

Genus Aelurodon (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 (32 Ma)

Archaeocyon leptodus (32 Ma)
Archaeocyon pavidus (32 Ma)
Archaeocyon falkenbachi

Genus Borophagus (12-5 Ma)

Borophagu dividersidens (5 Ma)
Borophagus hilli (6 Ma)
Borophagus hittoralis (12 Ma)
Borophagus orc (9 Ma)
Borophagus parvus (7 Ma)
Borophagus pugnator (9 Ma)
Borophagus secundus (9 Ma)

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 (16-12 Ma)

Cynarctus crucidens (12 Ma)
Cynarctus galushai (16 Ma)
Cynarctus saxatilis (15 Ma)
Cynarctus voorhiesi (13 Ma)

Genus Desmocyon (24-19 Ma)

Desmocyon matthewi (19 Ma)
Desmocyon thompsoni (24 Ma)

Genus Epicyon (12-10 Ma)

Epicyon haydeni (10 Ma)
Epicyon saevus (12 Ma)
Epicyon aelurodontoides (10.3-4.9 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 Osteoborus (8 Ma)

Osteoborus cynoides

Genus Otarocyon (34-30 Ma)

Otarocyon cooki (30 Ma)
Otarocyon macdonaldi (34 Ma)

Genus Oxetocyon (32 Ma)

Oxetocyon cuspidatus' (32 Ma)

Genus Paracynarctus (19-16 Ma)

Paracynarctus kelloggi (19 Ma)
Paracynarctus sinclairi (16 Ma)

Genus Phlaocyon (30-19 Ma)

Phlaocyon annectens (22 Ma)
Phlaocyon latidens (30 Ma)
Phlaocyon leucosteus (22 Ma)
Phlaocyon marslandensis (19 Ma)
Phlaocyon minor (30 Ma)
Phlaocyon yakolai (19 Ma)

Genus Protepicyon (16 Ma)

Protepicyon raki (16 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 Paratomarctus (16-13 Ma)

Paratomarctus euthos (13 Ma)
Paratomarctus temerarius (16 Ma)

Genus Protomarctus (18 Ma)

Protomarctus optatus (18 Ma)

Genus Tomarctus (16 Ma)

Tomarctus brevirostris (16 Ma)
Tomarctus hippophaga (16 Ma)

Hesperocyoninae : † (Ma = million years ago)

Genus Cynodesmus (32-29 Ma)

Cynodesmus martini (29 Ma)
Cynodesmus thooides (32 Ma)

?Genus Caedocyon

Caedocyon tedfordi

Genus Ectopocynus (32-19 Ma)

Ectopocynus antiquus (32 Ma)
Ectopocynus intermedius (29 Ma)
Ectopocynus siplicidens (19 Ma)

Genus Enhydrocyon (29-25 Ma)

Enhydrocyon basilatus (25 Ma)
Enhydrocyon crassidens (25 Ma)
Enhydrocyon pahinsintewkpa (29 Ma)
Enhydrocyon stenocephalus (29 Ma)

Genus Hesperocyon (39.74-34 Ma)

Hesperocyon colordensis
Hesperocyon gregarius (37 Ma)

Genus Mesocyon (34-29 Ma)

Mesocyon brachyops (29 Ma)
Mesocyon coryphaeus (29 Ma)
Mesocyn temnodon

Genus Osbornodon (32-18 Ma)

Osbornodon fricki (18 Ma)
Osbornodon iamonensis (21 Ma)
Osbornodon renjiei (33 Ma)
Osbornodon sesnoni (32 Ma)

Genus Paraenhydrodon (30-25 Ma)

Paraenhydrodon joesphi (30 Ma)
Paraenhydrodon robustus (25 Ma)
Paraenhydrodon wallovianus (26 Ma)

Genus Philotrox (29 Ma)

Philotrox condoni (29 Ma)

Genus Prohespercyon (36 Ma)

Prohespercyon wilsoni (36 Ma)

Genus Sunkahetanka (29 Ma)

Sunkahetanka geringensis (29 Ma)

Dentition

Canines have 42 teeth - their dental formula is:
The deciduous or baby teeth formula is 3 1 3; molars are completely absent.

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