Canis ferox

Canis ferox Temporal range: Late Miocene to Early Pliocene, 10.9–5.8 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Conservation status
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