Canis ferox

Canis ferox
Temporal range: Late Miocene to Early Pliocene, 10.9–5.8 Ma
Fossil
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species: C. ferox
Binomial name
Canis ferox
Miller and Carranza-Castaneda 1998

Canis ferox (Latin: canis: dog, ferox: fierce; hence fierce dog) is a species of canidae which was endemic to North America and lived from the Late Hemphillian stage (10.9 Mya) of the Miocene through the Pliocene epoch (5.8 Mya).[1] Canis ferox existed for approximately 5 million years. It is a primitive species, existing before most of the clades of Canis were formed.

Fossil distribution

The first fossil record was found in Rancho Viejo, central Mexico. A specimen was estimated by Legendre and Roth to weigh 14.3 kg (31.5 lbs) and another specimen was estimated to weigh 13.3 kg (29.3 lbs).[2]

References

  1. PaleoBiology Database: Canis ferox, age range and collections
  2. S. Legendre and C. Roth. 1988. Correlation of carnassial tooth size and body weight in recent carnivores (Mammalia). Historical Biology 1(1):85-98


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