Canis
Canis is a genus with seven to ten living species.[1] It incudes the domestic dog, wolves, coyotes, and jackals, and various extinct species. 'Canis' means "dog" in Latin.
| Canis Temporal range: Miocene–present (6 million years ago) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Gray wolf (top), coyote and African golden wolf (top middle), Ethiopian wolf and golden jackal (bottom middle), black-backed jackal and side-striped jackal (bottom) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Canidae |
| Subfamily: | Caninae |
| Tribe: | Canini |
| Genus: | Canis Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Type species | |
| Canis familiaris Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Extant species | |
Their canine teeth are adapted for killing, and their molar teeth can crunch bone. They are able to chase prey over long distances, far more so than felines.
References
- Wilson D.E. & Reeder D.M. eds 2005. Genus Canis. Mammal species of the world. 3rd ed, Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0
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