Canis is a genus containing 7 to 10 extant species, including dogs, wolves, coyotes, and jackals, and many extinct species.
[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, 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 fewer 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]
[edit] Etymology
The name Canis means "dog" in Latin. The word canine comes from the adjective 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.
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[edit] See also
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