Canis Temporal range: Miocene–present (6 million years ago)
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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
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Extant species | |
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.
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.