Canis: Definition from Answers.com

For other uses, see Canis (disambiguation).

Canis
Fossil range: miocene (9.0 Ma) to recent [1]

Gray Wolf, Canis lupus

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Canidae
Subfamily:	Caninae
Genus:	Canis Linnaeus, 1758

Species

† C. lupus also includes dogs, C. l. familiaris and dingos, C. l. dingo

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

1 Wolves and dogs
2 Etymology
3 Gallery
4 References
5 See also

Wolves and dogs

Wolves and dogs are subspecies of Canis lupus. The Eurasian Grey Wolf (Canis lupus lupus) differs significantly in appearance from such wolves as C. l. pallipes, C. l. arabs, or C. l. chanco, which are probably more similar to the variety of wolf that was ancestral to the modern dog.

Some other Canis taxa that were at one time considered separate species are also now considered subspecies of Canis lupus. These include the dingo (C. l. dingo) from Australia, which originates from domestic dogs brought from Indonesia, and the red wolf (C. l. rufus) from North America. The red wolf is the most endangered wolf species in the world, with only about 400 still alive in the wild. They became so endangered partly because of human impact, but mostly because they almost turned into another animal. As less and less red wolves roamed the wilderness, the red wolves mated with coyotes, and so did their pups, until very few pure red wolves still existed in the wild. By the time this was realized, it was almost too late, and now most red wolves live and breed in captivity. ^[1]

Etymology

The name Canis means "dog" in Latin. The word canine comes from the genitive form, caninus ("of the dog"), from which the term canine tooth is also derived.^[2] The canine family has very large canine teeth, used for killing their prey.

Gallery

Side-striped Jackal(Canis adustus)	Golden Jackal (Canis aureus)	Dire Wolf (Canis dirus)	Coyote (Canis latrans)
Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)	Black-backed Jackal (Canis mesomelas)	Ethiopian Wolf (Canis simensis)

References

^ "Mammal Species of the World Canidae". http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=14000691. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
^ Harper, Douglas. "canine". Online Etymology Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=canine.

Atilax	Marsh Mongoose (A. paludinosus)

Bdeogale	Bushy-tailed Mongoose (B. crassicauda} · Jackson's Mongoose (B. jacksoni) · Black-footed Mongoose (B. nigripes)

Crossarchus	Alexander's Kusimanse (C. alexandri) · Angolan Kusimanse (C. ansorgei) · Common Kusimanse (C. obscurus) · Flat-headed Kusimanse (C. platycephalus)

Cynictis	Yellow Mongoose (C. penicillata)

Dologale	Pousargues's Mongoose (D. dybowskii)

Galerella	Angolan Slender Mongoose (G. flavescens) · Somalian Slender Mongoose (G. ochracea) · Cape Gray Mongoose (G. pulverulenta) · Slender Mongoose (G. sanguinea)

Helogale	Ethiopian Dwarf Mongoose (H. hirtula) · Common Dwarf Mongoose (H. parvula)

Herpestes	Short-tailed Mongoose (H. brachyurus) · Indian Gray Mongoose (H. edwardsii) · Indian Brown Mongoose (H. fuscus) · Egyptian Mongoose (H. ichneumon) · Small Asian Mongoose (H. javanicus) · Long-nosed Mongoose (H. naso) · Collared Mongoose (H. semitorquatus) · Ruddy Mongoose (H. smithii) · Crab-eating Mongoose (H. urva) · Stripe-necked Mongoose (H. vitticollis)

Ichneumia	White-tailed Mongoose (I. albicauda)

Liberiictus	Liberian Mongoose (L. kuhni)

Mungos	Gambian Mongoose (M. gambianus) · Banded Mongoose (M. mungo)

Paracynictis	Selous' Mongoose (P. selousi)

Rhynchogale	Meller's Mongoose (R. melleri)

Suricata	Meerkat (S. suricatta)

Hyaenidae
(Hyenas)

Crocuta	Spotted Hyena (C. crocuta)

Hyaena	Brown Hyena (H. brunnea) · Striped Hyena (H. hyaena)

Proteles	Aardwolf (P. cristatus)

Felidae

Large family listed below

Viverridae

Large family listed below

Eupleridae

Large family listed below

Family Felidae

Felinae

Acinonyx	Cheetah (A. jubatus)

Caracal	Caracal (C. caracal)

Catopuma	Bay Cat (C. badia) · Asian Golden Cat (C. temminckii)

Felis	Chinese Mountain Cat (F. bieti) · Cat (F. catus) · Jungle Cat (F. chaus) · Pallas' Cat (F. manul) · Sand Cat (F. margarita) · Black-footed Cat (F. nigripes) · Wildcat (F. silvestris)

Leopardus	Pantanal Cat (L. braccatus) · Colocolo (L. colocolo) · Geoffroy's Cat (L. geoffroyi) · Kodkod (L. guigna) · Andean Mountain Cat (L. jacobitus) · Pampas Cat (L. pajeros) · Ocelot (L. pardalis) · Oncilla (L. tigrinus) · Margay (L. wiedii)

Leptailurus	Serval (L. serval)

Lynx	Canadian Lynx (L. canadensis) · Eurasian Lynx (L. lynx) · Iberian Lynx (L. pardinus) · Bobcat (L. rufus)

Pardofelis	Marbled Cat (P. marmorata)

Prionailurus	Leopard Cat (P. bengalensis) · Iriomote Cat (P. iriomotensis) · Flat-headed Cat (P. planiceps) · Rusty-spotted Cat (P. rubiginosus) · Fishing Cat (P. viverrinus)

Profelis	African Golden Cat (P. aurata)

Puma	Cougar (P. concolor) · Jaguarundi (P. yagouaroundi)

Pantherinae

Neofelis	Clouded Leopard (N. nebulosa) · Bornean Clouded Leopard (N. diardi)

Panthera	Lion (P. leo) · Jaguar (P. onca) · Leopard (P. pardus) · Tiger (P. tigris)

Uncia	Snow Leopard (U. uncia)

Family Viverridae (includes Civets)

Paradoxurinae

Arctictis	Binturong (A. binturong)

Arctogalidia	Small-toothed Palm Civet (A. trivirgata)

Macrogalidia	Sulawesi Palm Civet (M. musschenbroekii)

Paguma	Masked Palm Civet (P. larvata)

Paradoxurus	Asian Palm Civet (P. hermaphroditus) · Jerdon's Palm Civet (P. jerdoni) · Golden Palm Civet (P. zeylonensis)

Hemigalinae

Chrotogale	Owston's Palm Civet (C. owstoni)

Cynogale	Otter Civet (C. bennettii)

Diplogale	Hose's Palm Civet (D. hosei)

Hemigalus	Banded Palm Civet (H. derbyanus)

Prionodontinae
(Asiatic linsangs)

Prionodon

Banded Linsang (P. linsang) · Spotted Linsang (P. pardicolor)

Viverrinae

Civettictis	African Civet (C. civetta)

Genetta (Genets)	Abyssinian Genet (G. abyssinica) · Angolan Genet (G. angolensis) · Bourlon's Genet (G. bourloni) · Crested Servaline Genet (G. cristata) · Common Genet (G. genetta) · Johnston's Genet (G. johnstoni) · Rusty-spotted Genet (G. maculata) · Pardine Genet (G. pardina) · Aquatic Genet (G. piscivora) · King Genet (G. poensis) · Servaline Genet (G. servalina) · Haussa Genet (G. thierryi) · Cape Genet (G. tigrina) · Giant Forest Genet (G. victoriae)

Poiana	Leighton's Linsang (P. leightoni) · African Linsang (P. richardsonii)

Viverra	Malabar Large-spotted Civet (V. civettina) · Large-spotted Civet (V. megaspila) · Malayan Civet (V. tangalunga) · Large Indian Civet (V. zibetha)

Viverricula	Small Indian Civet (V. indica)

Family Eupleridae

Euplerinae

Cryptoprocta	Fossa (C. ferox)

Eupleres	Falanouc (E. goudotii)

Fossa	Malagasy Civet (F. fossana)

Galidiinae

Galidia	Ring-tailed Mongoose (G. elegans)

Galidictis	Broad-striped Malagasy Mongoose (G. fasciata) · Grandidier's Mongoose (G. grandidieri)

Mungotictis	Narrow-striped Mongoose (M. decemlineata)

Salanoia	Brown-tailed Mongoose (S. concolor)

Suborder Caniformia (cont. below)

Ursidae
(Bears)

Ailuropoda	Giant Panda (A. melanoleuca)

Helarctos	Sun Bear (H. malayanus)

Melursus	Sloth Bear (M. ursinus)

Tremarctos	Spectacled Bear (T. ornatus)

Ursus	American Black Bear (U. americanus) · Brown Bear (U. arctos) · Polar bear (U. maritimus) · Asian Black Bear (U. thibetanus)

Mephitidae
(Skunks)

Conepatus (Hog-nosed skunks)	Molina's Hog-nosed Skunk (C. chinga) · Humboldt's Hog-nosed Skunk (C. humboldtii) · American Hog-nosed Skunk (C. leuconotus) · Striped Hog-nosed Skunk (C. semistriatus)

Mephitis	Hooded Skunk (M. macroura) · Striped Skunk (M. mephitis)

Mydaus	Sunda Stink Badger (M. javanensis) · Palawan Stink Badger (M. marchei)

Spilogale (Spotted skunks)	Southern Spotted Skunk (S. angustifrons) · Western Spotted Skunk (S. gracilis) · Eastern Spotted Skunk (S. putorius) · Pygmy Spotted Skunk (S. pygmaea)

Procyonidae

Ailuridae

Ailurus

Red Panda (A. fulgens)

Suborder Caniformia (cont. above)

Otariidae
(Eared seals)
(includes fur seals
and sea lions)
(Pinniped inclusive)

Odobenidae
(Pinniped inclusive)

Odobenus

Walrus (O. rosmarus)

Phocidae
(Earless seals)
(Pinniped inclusive)

Canidae

Large family listed below

Mustelidae

Large family listed below

Family Canidae

Atelocynus	Short-eared Dog (A. microtis)

Canis	Side-striped Jackal (C. adustus) · Golden Jackal (C. aureus) · Coyote (C. latrans) · Gray Wolf (C. lupus) · Black-backed Jackal (C. mesomelas) · Ethiopian Wolf (C. simensis)

Cerdocyon	Crab-eating Fox (C. thous)

Chrysocyon	Maned Wolf (C. brachyurus)

Cuon	Dhole (C. alpinus)

Lycalopex	Culpeo (L. culpaeus) · Darwin's Fox (L. fulvipes) · South American Gray Fox (L. griseus) · Pampas Fox (L. gymnocercus) · Sechuran Fox (L. sechurae) · Hoary Fox (L. vetulus)

Lycaon	African Wild Dog (L. pictus)

Nyctereutes	Raccoon Dog (N. procyonoides)

Otocyon	Bat-eared Fox (O. megalotis)

Speothos	Bush Dog (S. venaticus)

Urocyon	Gray Fox (U. cinereoargenteus) · Island Fox (U. littoralis)

Vulpes	Bengal Fox (V. bengalensis) · Blanford's Fox (V. cana) · Cape Fox (V. chama) · Corsac Fox (V. corsac) · Tibetan Sand Fox (V. ferrilata) · Arctic Fox (V. lagopus) · Kit Fox (V. macrotis) · Pale Fox (V. pallida) · Rüppell's Fox (V. rueppelli) · Swift Fox (V. velox) · Red Fox (V. vulpes) · Fennec Fox (V. zerda)

Family Mustelidae

Lutrinae
(Otters)

Aonyx	African Clawless Otter (A. capensis) · Oriental Small-clawed Otter (A. cinerea)

Enhydra	Sea otter (E. lutris)

Hydrictis	Spotted-necked Otter (H. maculicollis)

Lontra	North American River Otter (L. canadensis) · Marine Otter (L. felina) · Neotropical Otter (L. longicaudis) · Southern River Otter (L. provocax)

Lutra	European Otter (L. lutra) · Hairy-nosed Otter (L. sumatrana)

Lutrogale	Smooth-coated Otter (L. perspicillata)

Pteronura	Giant Otter (P. brasiliensis)

Mustelinae
(including Badgers)

Arctonyx	Hog Badger (A. collaris)

Eira	Tayra (E. barbara)

Galictis	Lesser Grison (G. cuja) · Greater Grison (G. vittata)

Gulo	Wolverine (G. gulo)

Ictonyx	Saharan Striped Polecat (I. libyca) · Striped Polecat (I. striatus)

Lyncodon	Patagonian Weasel (L. patagonicus)

Martes (Martens)	American Marten (M. americana) · Yellow-throated Marten (M. flavigula) · Beech Marten (M. foina) · Nilgiri Marten (M. gwatkinsii) · European Pine Marten (M. martes) · Japanese Marten (M. melampus) · Fisher (M. pennanti) · Sable (M. zibellina)

Meles	Japanese Badger (M. anakuma) · Asian Badger (M. leucurus) · European Badger (M. meles)

Mellivora	Honey Badger (M. capensis)

Melogale (Ferret-badgers)	Bornean Ferret-badger (M. everetti) · Chinese Ferret-badger (M. moschata) · Javan Ferret-badger (M. orientalis) · Burmese Ferret-badger (M. personata)

Mustela (Weasels)	Amazon Weasel (M. africana) · Mountain Weasel (M. altaica) · Ermine (M. erminea) · Steppe Polecat (M. eversmannii) · Colombian Weasel (M. felipei) · Long-tailed Weasel (M. frenata) · Japanese Weasel (M. itatsi) · Yellow-bellied Weasel (M. kathiah) · European Mink (M. lutreola) · Indonesian Mountain Weasel (M. lutreolina) · Black-footed Ferret (M. nigripes) · Least Weasel (M. nivalis) · Malayan Weasel (M. nudipes) · European Polecat (M. putorius) · Siberian Weasel (M. sibirica) · Back-striped Weasel (M. strigidorsa) · Egyptian Weasel (M. subpalmata)

Neovison (Minks)	American Mink (N. vison)

Poecilogale	African Striped Weasel (P. albinucha)

Taxidea	American Badger (T. taxus)

Vormela	Marbled Polecat (V. peregusna)

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Canis

Contents

Wolves and dogs

Etymology

Gallery

References

See also