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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. Any member of this family can be referred to generally as a canid.

Classification and relationship

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. (See phylogeny below). Molecular data implies a North American origin of living Canidae and an African origin of wolf-like canines (Canis, Cuon, and Lycaon).
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.
Based on a range of morphological, molecular and protein data.
Significant groups in bold type.

Linnean taxonomy FAMILY CANIDAE Subfamily: Caninae

True dogs - Tribe Canini
- Genus Canis
  - Side-striped Jackal, Canis adustus
  - Golden Jackal, Canis aureus
  - Coyote, Canis latrans (also called Prairie Wolf)
  - Gray Wolf, Canis lupus (2.723 Ma to present)
    - Red Wolf, Canis lupus rufus (3 Ma to present)
    - Domestic Dog, Canis lupus familiaris
    - Dingo, most often classified as Canis lupus dingo
    - New Guinea Singing Dog, Canis lupus hallstromi
    - many other proposed subspecies
  - 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 Indocyon†
  - Indian Mute Dog, Indocyon caribensis † (also called Caribbean Dog)
- Genus Cubacyon
  - Cuban Dhole, Cubacyon transversidens †
- 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 Vulpes
- Arctic Fox, Vulpes lagopus
- Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes (1 Ma to present)
- Swift Fox, Vulpes velox
- Kit Fox, Vulpes macrotis
- Corsac Fox, Vulpes corsac
- Cape Fox, Vulpes chama
- Pale Fox, Vulpes pallida
- Bengal Fox, Vulpes bengalensis
- Tibetan Sand Fox, Vulpes ferrilata
- Blanford's Fox, Vulpes cana
- Rüppell's Fox, Vulpes rueppelli
- Fennec Fox, Vulpes zerda
Genus Urocyon (2 Ma to present)
- Gray Fox, U. cinereoargenteus
- Island Fox, U. littoralis
- Cozumel Fox, U. sp.

Basal Caninae

Genus Otocyon (probably a vulpine close to Urocyon)
- Bat-eared Fox, Otocyon megalotis
Genus Nyctereutes
- Raccoon Dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides

Fossil Canidae

Classification of Hesperocyoninae from Wang (1994) and Borophaginae from Wang et al. (1999), except where noted. 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 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 armbrusteri (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 Speothos
- Speothos pacivorus †
Genus Nurocyon
- Nurocyon chonokhariensis †
Genus Xenocyon
- Xenocyon falconeri (2.6 Ma †)
- Xenocyon lycaonoides

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 (32-24 Ma)

Archaeocyon falkenbachi (25-24 Ma)
Archaeocyon leptodus (32-24 Ma)
Archaeocyon pavidus (32-28 Ma)

Genus Borophagus (12-5 Ma)

Borophagus dividersidens (5 Ma)
Borophagus dudleyi
Borophagus hilli (6 Ma)
Borophagus littoralis (12 Ma)
Borophagus orc (9 Ma)
Borophagus parvus (7 Ma)
Borophagus pugnator (9 Ma)
Borophagus secundus (9 Ma)

Genus Carpocyon

Carpocyon compressus
Carpocyon limosus
Carpocyon robustus
Carpocyon webbi

Genus Cormocyon

Cormocyon copei
Cormocyon haydeni

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 marylandica
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 aelurodontoides (10.3-4.9 Ma)
Epicyon haydeni (10 Ma)
Epicyon saevus (12 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 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 Paratomarctus (16-13 Ma)

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

Genus Phlaocyon (30-19 Ma)

Phlaocyon achoros
Phlaocyon annectens (22 Ma)
Phlaocyon latidens (30 Ma)
Phlaocyon leucosteus (22 Ma)
Phlaocyon mariae
Phlaocyon marslandensis (19 Ma)
Phlaocyon minor (30 Ma)
Phlaocyon multicuspus
Phlaocyon taylori
Phlaocyon yakolai (19 Ma)

Genus Protepicyon (16 Ma)

Protepicyon raki (16 Ma)

Genus Protomarctus (18 Ma)

Protomarctus optatus (18 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 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 coloradensis
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 brachypus
Osbornodon fricki (18 Ma)
Osbornodon iamonensis (21 Ma)
Osbornodon renjiei (33 Ma)
Osbornodon scitulus
Osbornodon sesnoni (32 Ma)
Osbornodon wangi

Genus Paraenhydrocyon (30-25 Ma)

Paraenhydrocyon josephi (30 Ma)
Paraenhydrocyon robustus (25 Ma)
Paraenhydrocyon wallovianus (26 Ma)

Genus Philotrox (29 Ma)

Philotrox condoni (29 Ma)

Genus Prohesperocyon (36 Ma)

Prohesperocyon wilsoni (36 Ma)

Genus Sunkahetanka (29 Ma)

Sunkahetanka geringensis (29 Ma)

Further Information

Get more info on 'Canids'.

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