Canidae is a family of mammals in the order Carnivora, which includes domestic dogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes, jackals, dingoes, and many other extant and extinct dog-like mammals. A member of this family is called a canid; all extant species are a part of a single subfamily, Caninae, and are called canines. They are found on all continents except Antarctica, having arrived independently or accompanied human beings over extended periods of time. Canids vary in size, including tails, from the 2 meter (6 ft 7 in) wolf to the 46 cm (18 in) fennec fox. Population sizes range from the Falkland Islands wolf, extinct since 1876, to the domestic dog, which has a worldwide population of over 1 billion. The body forms of canids are similar, typically having long muzzles, upright ears, teeth adapted for cracking bones and slicing flesh, long legs, and bushy tails. Most species are social animals, living together in family units or small groups and behaving cooperatively. Typically, only the dominant pair in a group breeds, and a litter of young is reared annually in an underground den. Canids communicate by scent signals and vocalizations. One canid, the domestic dog, entered into a partnership with humans at least 14,000 years ago and today remains one of the most widely kept domestic animals.
The 13 extant genera and 37 species of Caninae are primarily split into two tribes: Canini, which includes 11 genera and 19 species, comprising the wolf-like Canina subtribe and the South American Cerdocyonina subtribe; and Vulpini, the fox-like canids, comprising 3 genera and 15 species. Not included in either tribe is the genus Urocyon, which includes 2 species, mainly comprising the gray fox and believed to be basal to the family. Additionally, one genus in Canini, Dusicyon, was composed of two recently extinct species, with Dusicyon avus going extinct around 400 years ago and the Falkland Islands wolf going extinct in 1876.
In addition to the extant Caninae, Canidae contains two extinct subfamilies designated as Hesperocyoninae and Borophaginae. Extinct species have also been placed into Caninae, in both extant and extinct genera; at least 80 extinct Caninae species have been found, as well as over 70 species in Borophaginae and nearly 30 in Hesperocyoninae, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed. The earliest canids found belong to Hesperocyoninae, and are believed to have diverged from the existing Caniformia suborder around 37 million years ago.
Conventions
| Conservation status | |
|---|---|
| EX | Extinct (2 species) |
| EW | Extinct in the wild (0 species) |
| CR | Critically Endangered (0 species) |
| EN | Endangered (4 species) |
| VU | Vulnerable (0 species) |
| NT | Near threatened (5 species) |
| LC | Least concern (26 species) |
| Other categories | |
| DD | Data deficient (0 species) |
| NE | Not evaluated (1 species) |
Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the canid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species, unless otherwise noted. All extinct species (or subspecies) listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a dagger symbol: "†".
Classification
The family Canidae consists of 37 extant species belonging to 13 genera and divided into 194 extant subspecies, as well the extinct genus Dusicyon, comprising two extinct species, and 13 extinct wolf subspecies, which are the only canid species to go extinct since prehistoric times. This does not include hybrid species (such as wolfdogs or coywolves) or extinct prehistoric species (such as the dire wolf or Epicyon). Modern molecular studies indicate that the 13 genera can be grouped into 3 tribes or clades.
Subfamily Caninae
- Tribe Canini (true dogs)
- Subtribe Canina (wolf-like canids)
- Subtribe Cerdocyonina (South American canids)
- Genus Atelocynus: one species
- Genus Cerdocyon: one species
- Genus Chrysocyon: one species
- Genus Dusicyon†: two species
- Genus Lycalopex: six species
- Genus Speothos: one species
- Tribe Vulpini (true foxes)
- Genus Nyctereutes: two species
- Genus Otocyon: one species
- Genus Vulpes: twelve species
- Genus Urocyon (gray foxes): two species
Canids
The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis, such as the promotion of the African golden wolf to a separate species from the golden jackal, and splitting out the Lupulella genus from Canis. Range maps are based on IUCN range data. There are several additional proposals which are disputed, such as the promotion of the red wolf and eastern wolf as species from subspecies of the wolf, which are marked with a "(debated)" tag.
Subfamily Caninae
Tribe Canini
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short-eared dog | A. microtis (Cabrera, 1940) Two subspecies
| Western Amazon rainforest in South America | Size: 72–100 cm (28–39 in) long, plus 24–35 cm (9–14 in) tail Habitat: Wetlands, forest, and savanna Diet: Fish, insects, and small mammals, as well as fruit, birds, and crabs | NT
|
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| African wolf | C. lupaster Hemprich and Ehrenberg, 1832 Six subspecies
| North and northeastern Africa | Size: 100 cm (39 in) long, plus 20 cm (8 in) tail Habitat: Grassland, shrubland, and savanna Diet: Wild boar and livestock, as well as other mammals and fruit | LC
|
| Coyote | C. latrans Say, 1823 Nineteen subspecies
| North America | Size: 100–135 cm (39–53 in) long, plus 40 cm (16 in) tail Habitat: Forest, desert, shrubland, and grassland Diet: Wide variety of foods, including both small and large mammals, fruit, and insects | LC
|
| Dog | C. familiaris Linnaeus, 1758 | Worldwide | Size: Varies by breed Habitat: Domesticated Diet: Varied | NE
|
| Ethiopian wolf | C. simensis Rüppell, 1840 Two subspecies
| Ethiopian Highlands | Size: 84–100 cm (33–39 in) long, plus 27–40 cm (11–16 in) tail Habitat: Inland wetlands, grassland, shrubland, and rocky areas Diet: Rodents as well as small mammals | EN
|
| Golden jackal | C. aureus Linnaeus, 1758 Six subspecies
| Eastern Europe, Middle East, and southern Asia | Size: 60–132 cm (24–52 in) long, plus 20–30 cm (8–12 in) tail Habitat: Forest, grassland, shrubland, and savanna Diet: Wide variety of foods, including small to large mammals, birds, fish, fruit, and insects | LC
|
| Wolf | C. lupus Linnaeus, 1758 37 subspecies
| Eurasia and northern North America | Size: 105–160 cm (41–63 in) long, plus 29–50 cm (11–20 in) tail Habitat: Forest, desert, rocky areas, shrubland, grassland, and inland wetlands Diet: Large ungulates, as well as small animals, carrion, and berries | LC
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| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crab-eating fox | C. thous (Linnaeus, 1766) Five subspecies
| Eastern and northern South America | Size: 64 cm (25 in) long, plus 28 cm (11 in) tail Habitat: Forest, savanna, shrubland, grassland, and inland wetlands Diet: Crabs and insects, as well as rodents, birds, turtles, eggs, fruit, and carrion | LC
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| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maned wolf | C. brachyurus (Illiger, 1815) | Central South America | Size: 100–130 cm (39–51 in) long, plus 45 cm (18 in) tail Habitat: Forest, wetlands, grassland, shrubland, and savanna Diet: Fruit, arthropods, and small and medium vertebrates | NT
|
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dhole | C. alpinus (Pallas, 1811) Three subspecies
| Southeast Asia | Size: 90 cm (35 in) long, plus 40–45 cm (16–18 in) tail Habitat: Forest, grassland, and shrubland Diet: Ungulates, as well as small rodents and hares | EN
|
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falkland Islands wolf† | D. australis (Kerr, 1792) | Falkland Islands at tip of South America | Size: Unknown Habitat: Grassland and shrubland Diet: Unknown | EX
|
| South American fox† | D. avus (Burmeister, 1866) | Southern South America | Size: Unknown Habitat: Grassland and shrubland Diet: Unknown | EX
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| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black-backed jackal | L. mesomelas (Schreber, 1775) Two subspecies
| Southern Africa and eastern Africa | Size: 60–95 cm (24–37 in) long, plus 16–40 cm (6–16 in) tail Habitat: Marine intertidal, forest, desert, grassland, shrubland, and savanna Diet: Small to medium-sized mammals and birds | LC
|
| Side-striped jackal | L. adustus (Sundevall, 1847) Seven subspecies
| Central Africa | Size: 69–81 cm (27–32 in) long, plus 30–41 cm (12–16 in) tail Habitat: Forest, shrubland, savanna, grassland, and inland wetlands Diet: Small to medium-sized mammals and fruit, as well as birds, insects, grass, and carrion | LC
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| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Culpeo | L. culpeo (Molina, 1782) Six subspecies
| Western South America | Size: 95–132 cm (37–52 in) long, plus 32–44 cm (13–17 in) tail Habitat: Forest, rocky areas, grassland, shrubland, and savanna Diet: Rodents and lagomorphs, as well as livestock and guanacos | LC
|
| Darwin's fox | L. fulvipes (Martin, 1837) | Limited areas in southern Chile | Size: 48–59 cm (19–23 in) long, plus 18–26 cm (7–10 in) tail Habitat: Forest and shrubland Diet: Small mammals, insects, crabs, and fruit | EN
|
| Hoary fox | L. vetulus (Lund, 1842) | South-central Brazil | Size: 49–71 cm (19–28 in) long, plus 25–38 cm (10–15 in) tail Habitat: Savanna Diet: Insects, as well as small rodents, birds, reptiles, and fruit | LC
|
| Pampas fox | L. gymnocercus (Waldheim, 1814) Five subspecies
| Southern South America | Size: 51–74 cm (20–29 in) long, plus 25–41 cm (10–16 in) tail Habitat: Forest, shrubland, and savanna Diet: Small rodents, hares, birds, insects, and fruit, as well as carrion | LC
|
| Sechuran fox | L. sechurae (Thomas, 1900) | Sechura Desert in southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru | Size: 50–78 cm (20–31 in) long, plus 27–34 cm (11–13 in) tail Habitat: Forest, desert, grassland, and shrubland Diet: Fruit and seeds, as well as small rodents, birds, reptiles, insects, scorpions, and carrion | NT
|
| South American gray fox | L. griseus (Gray, 1837) | Southern South America | Size: 50–66 cm (20–26 in) long, plus 12–34 cm (5–13 in) tail Habitat: Forest, grassland, and shrubland Diet: Small rodents, hares, and carrion | LC
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| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| African wild dog | L. pictus (Temminck, 1820) Five subspecies
| Scattered areas of Africa. Extant regions in red; probably extant region in yellow. | Size: 76–112 cm (30–44 in) long, plus 30–42 cm (12–17 in) tail Habitat: Forest, grassland, shrubland, savanna, and desert Diet: Medium-sized antelope | EN
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| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bush dog | S. venaticus (Lund, 1842) Three subspecies
| Northern South America | Size: 57–75 cm (22–30 in) long, plus 12–15 cm (5–6 in) tail Habitat: Shrubland, forest, grassland, and savanna Diet: Small and medium mammals, as well as birds, reptiles, and fruit | NT
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Tribe Vulpini
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common raccoon dog | N. procyonoides (Gray, 1834) Four subspecies
| Mainland Eastern Asia, introduced to Central and Eastern Europe (note: map includes range of N. viverrinus) | Size: 49–71 cm (19–28 in) long, plus 15–23 cm (6–9 in) tail Habitat: Forest, grassland, and shrubland Diet: Insects, rodents, amphibians, birds, fish, and reptiles, as well as fruit, nuts, and berries | LC
|
| Japanese raccoon dog | N. viverrinus (Temminck, 1838) | Japan | Size: 49–71 cm (19–28 in) long, plus 15–23 cm (6–9 in) tail Habitat: Forest, grassland, and shrubland Diet: Insects, rodents, amphibians, birds, fish, and reptiles, as well as fruit, nuts, and berries | NE
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| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bat-eared fox | O. megalotis (Desmarest, 1822) Two subspecies
| Southern and Eastern Africa | Size: 46–61 cm (18–24 in) long, plus 23–34 cm (9–13 in) tail Habitat: Grassland, shrubland, and savanna Diet: Harvester termites as well as other arthropods | LC
|
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arctic fox | V. lagopus (Linnaeus, 1758) Five subspecies
| Arctic North America and Eurasia | Size: 50–75 cm (20–30 in) long, plus 25–43 cm (10–17 in) tail Habitat: Grassland Diet: Lemmings, as well as other rodents, birds, and reindeer | LC
|
| Bengal fox | V. bengalensis (Shaw, 1800) | India | Size: 39–58 cm (15–23 in) long, plus 25–32 cm (10–13 in) tail Habitat: Grassland and shrubland Diet: Arthropods, rodents, reptiles, fruit, and birds | LC
|
| Blanford's fox | V. cana Blanford, 1877 | The Middle East and Central Asia | Size: 34–47 cm (13–19 in) long, plus 26–36 cm (10–14 in) tail Habitat: Desert and rocky areas Diet: Fruit and insects | LC
|
| Cape fox | V. chama (A Smith, 1833) | Southern Africa | Size: 45–61 cm (18–24 in) long, plus 25–41 cm (10–16 in) tail Habitat: Rocky areas, grassland, shrubland, and savanna Diet: Fruit and insects | LC
|
| Corsac fox | V. corsac (Linnaeus, 1768) Three subspecies
| Central Asia | Size: 45–60 cm (18–24 in) long, plus 19–34 cm (7–13 in) tail Habitat: Desert, grassland, and shrubland Diet: Insects and small rodents | LC
|
| Fennec fox | V. zerda (Zimmermann, 1780) | Northern Africa | Size: 33–40 cm (13–16 in) long, plus 13–23 cm (5–9 in) tail Habitat: Desert and marine coastal/supratidal Diet: Rodents, insects, birds, eggs, and rabbits | LC
|
| Kit fox | V. macrotis Merriam, 1888 Two subspecies
| Western North America | Size: 46–54 cm (18–21 in) long, plus 25–34 cm (10–13 in) tail Habitat: Shrubland, savanna, and grassland Diet: Rodents, rabbits, invertebrates, birds, lizards, and snakes | LC
|
| Pale fox | V. pallida (Cretzschmar, 1827) Five subspecies
| Upper middle Africa | Size: 38–55 cm (15–22 in) long, plus 23–29 cm (9–11 in) tail Habitat: Desert, grassland, shrubland, and savanna Diet: Plants and berries as well as rodents, reptiles, and insects | LC
|
| Rüppell's fox | V. rueppellii (Schinz, 1825) | Northern Africa and the Middle East | Size: 35–56 cm (14–22 in) long, plus 25–39 cm (10–15 in) tail Habitat: Desert, shrubland, and marine coastal/supratidal Diet: Small mammals, lizards, birds, and insects, as well as fruit and succulents | LC
|
| Red fox | V. vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758) 44 subspecies
| North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia | Size: 62–72 cm (24–28 in) long, plus 40 cm (16 in) tail Habitat: Shrubland, grassland, inland wetlands, forest, and desert Diet: Small rodents, as well as birds, larger mammals, reptiles, insects, and fish | LC
|
| Swift fox | V. velox (Say, 1823) | Western grasslands of North America | Size: 48–54 cm (19–21 in) long, plus 25–34 cm (10–13 in) tail Habitat: Grassland Diet: Rabbits, mice, ground squirrels, birds, insects and lizards, as well as grasses and fruit | LC
|
| Tibetan fox | V. ferrilata Hodgson, 1842 | High plateaus in Nepal and western China | Size: 49–70 cm (19–28 in) long, plus 22–29 cm (9–11 in) tail Habitat: Desert, rocky areas, grassland, and shrubland Diet: Pikas, as well as carrion and other small mammals | LC
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Urocyon
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gray fox | U. cinereoargenteus (Schreber, 1775) Sixteen subspecies
| North America and Central America | Size: 53–66 cm (21–26 in) long, plus 28–44 cm (11–17 in) tail Habitat: Forest and shrubland Diet: Rabbits, voles, shrews, and birds, as well as insects and fruit | LC
|
| Island fox | U. littoralis (Baird, 1857) Six subspecies
| Channel Islands of California | Size: 46–63 cm (18–25 in) long, plus 12–32 cm (5–13 in) tail Habitat: Marine intertidal, forest, grassland, and shrubland Diet: Fruit, insects, birds, eggs, crabs, lizards, and small mammals | NT
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