Canis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Canis Temporal range: Miocene to Recent 9–0 mya
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Canidae
Genus:	Canis

Canis is a genus with seven to ten living species. 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.

Images for kids

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  Skulls of dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus), gray wolf (C. lupus), eastern wolf (C. lycaon), red wolf (C. rufus), coyote (C. latrans), African golden wolf (C. lupaster), golden jackal (C. aureus) and black-backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas)

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  Diagram of a wolf skull with key features labelled

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  Eurasian wolf skull

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  Gray wolf (Canis lupus)

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  Eastern wolf (Canis lupus lycaon or Canis lycaon) (includes latrans admixture)

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  Red wolf (Canis lupus rufus or Canis rufus) (includes latrans admixture)

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  Coyote (Canis latrans)

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  African golden wolf (Canis lupaster)

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  Eurasian golden jackal (Canis aureus)

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  Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis)

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  Himalayan wolf (Canis lupus chanco)

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  Indian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes)

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  Domestic dog (Canis familiaris)

See also

In Spanish: Canis para niños