Knowra Canid evolution Canid evolution Canid evolution is the history of the dog family, Canidae, from its early members to living species. It includes the diversification of foxes, wolves, dogs, and other canids.
Miacids : An extinct group of small carnivorous mammals that lived during the Paleocene and Eocene and preceded modern carnivoran lineages. Canids belong to Carnivora, whose early evolutionary history is often traced through miacid-grade mammals.
Canid dentition : The tooth arrangement and form characteristic of members of the dog family. Changes in teeth reveal shifts among canid diets, including the evolution of bone-crushing forms.
Eucyon : An extinct genus of small to medium-sized canids that lived in North America and Eurasia during the Miocene and Pliocene. Eucyon is associated with the dispersal of canids from North America into the Old World.
Canidae : The biological family of carnivorous mammals that includes dogs, wolves, foxes, and their extinct relatives. Canid evolution concerns the history and branching relationships within this family.
Fossil calibration : The use of dated fossils to constrain the timing of divergences in evolutionary analyses. Canid divergence estimates depend on how securely fossil ages and identities are established.
Hesperocyoninae : An extinct subfamily of early canids that lived in North America from the Eocene into the Miocene. Its members include some of the earliest known canids.
Cursoriality : Anatomical and behavioral adaptation for efficient running on land. Long-limbed, efficient locomotion became a notable feature of many open-country canids.
Dire wolf : An extinct North American canid, Aenocyon dirus, that lived during the Pleistocene and became extinct near its end. Its distinct evolutionary placement shows that resemblance to wolves does not always indicate close relationship.
Felidae : The biological family of cats, including domestic cats, lions, and their extinct relatives. Felids offer a contrasting carnivoran family with a different evolutionary history and body plan.
Ancient DNA : Genetic material recovered from archaeological or fossil remains and studied using molecular methods. Ancient genomes can test whether fossil forms belong within or outside living canid lineages.
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