For other uses, see Canis (disambiguation).
Canis
Fossil range: miocene (9.0 Ma) to recent [1]
Gray Wolf, Canis lupus
Gray Wolf, Canis lupus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Subfamily: Caninae
Genus: Canis
Linnaeus, 1758
Species

Canis adustus
Canis aureus
Canis dirus (extinct)
Canis latrans
Canis lupus
Canis mesomelas
Canis simensis
  † C. lupus also includes dogs.

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

Contents

[edit] 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, that are probably more similar to the wolf that was the modern dog ancestor.[1]

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 and the red wolf (C. l. rufus) from North America.[2]

[edit] Etymology

The name Canis is Latin for dog.

[edit] 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)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Population Genetics: The dog that came in from the cold by G M Acland and E A Ostrander, Heredity (2002) 90, 201–202. doi:10.1038/sj.hdy.6800224 Accessed on 30 May 2008
  2. ^ "Mammal Species of the World Canidae". Retrieved on 2007-07-27.

[edit] See also

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