Caniformia

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Caniforms
Fossil range: Paleocene - Recent
Grizzly bears
Grizzly bears
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Caniformia
Kretzoi, 1943
Families

Caniformia is one of two suborders within the order Carnivora and consists of the "dog-like" carnivores, such as dogs, wolves, bears, weasels, and skunks. It also includes the aquatic pinnipeds (eared seals, earless seals, and walruses). The other suborder of Carnivora is Feliformia, the "cat-like" carnivores, such as felids (true cats), hyenas, mongooses, and civets. One shared characteristic distinguishes Carnivora from all other mammals: the possession of the four carnassial teeth in the front of the jaw. Caniforms are diagnostically distinguished from feliforms by having single-chambered or partially divided auditory bullae, composed of a single bone, while in feliforms the auditory bullae are double-chambered, composed of two bones joined by a septum. Caniforms typically possess a long snout and non-retractile claws in contrast to the feliforms.


Overview and description

The Carnivora order is divided into the suborders Caniformia (dog-like) and Feliformia (cat-like). Feliformia includes such familes as Felidae (the "true cats"), Hyaenidae (hyenas and aardwolves), Herpestidae (mongooses), and Viverridae (true civets), and related extant and extinct taxa. Some of the major sub-groups within Caniformina are the families Canidae (dogs, wolves, and foxes), Ursidae (bears), Mustelidae (weasels, badgers, and otters), Mephitidae (skunks), Procyonidae (coatis and racoons), as well as the pinnipeds, which include the families Phocidae (true or earless seals), Otariidae (eared seals: fur seals and sea lions) and Obobenidae (walrus). The pinnipeds are considered to have evolved from caniform ancestors and are accordingly assigned to this group.

Members of this group typically have non-retractile claws and tend to be plantigrade (walking with the podials and metatarsals flat on the ground), unlike the feliforms, which tend to have retractile (retractable) or semi-retractile claws and to be more digitigrade (walking on toes). Another trait that separates them from the Feliformia is that they have more teeth. They have a longer rostrum with less specialized carnassials. They tend more towards omnivorous and opportunity-based feeding, while the feliforms are more specialized in eating meat.

Extant families

They are 9 living families (3 extinct and 1 once thought to belong to the group, the Hyaenidae). They are found all over the world (even when not counting dogs), even mainland Antarctica, as seals have no natural land predators so they can rest on land.

Canidae. The Family Canidae (canids, commonly known as either dogs or canines) includes wolves, dogs, foxes, coyotes, jackals, and so on. It is represented by 14 genera and about 34 species, including the only wild member of Carnivora in Australia in the form of the dingo (Fahey and Myers 2000). They tend to have an acute sense of smell, deep-chested bodies, a long muzzle, and moderately elongated legs and feet, as well as non-retractile claws and nearly a full set of teeth (Fahey and Myers 2000). Canids are the most social of all the caniforms, living in packs. The dog is the most diverse of all mammals in terms of body structure.

Ursidae. The Family Ursidae (the bears) are the largest of all the land caniforms. They range from the large polar bear (males, 775 to 1500+ pounds) to the small sun bear (males, 66 to 132 pounds) and from the endangered giant panda to the very common black bear. There are about eight species (depending on taxonomic scheme) placed into five genera (Ursus, Tremarctos, Melursus, Helarctos, and Ailuropoda (Dewey and Myers 2005). They are large, robust animals, with small, rounded eyes, very short tails, and recurved, non-retractile claws, as well as plantigrade feet, with five digits on each foot (Dewey and Myers 2005).

Ailuridae. The Family Ailuridae (the red panda) was once thought to be either part of the Procyonidae or the Ursidae. It now belongs to its own family. The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is slightly larger than a domestic cat (55 centimeters long), with semi-retractable claws, and with a "false thumb," which is really an extension of the wrist bone. It is a mostly herbivorous mammal, specialized as a bamboo feeder. It is native to the Himalayas in Nepal and southern China. The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca"") shares a similar common name, is also found in Asia, and also is largely herbivorous with a diet that is 99 percent bamboo, but it is part of the bear family, Ursidae.

Mephitidae. The Family Mephitidae (the skunks and stink badgers), once thought to be part of the Mustelidae, is now a group in its own right. Extant members of this family are recognized by their striking color patterns and noxious odors.


Wund, M. 2005a. "Mephitidae" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed September 09, 2008 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mephitidae.html


The Family Mustelidae (the weasels and otters) is the most diverse of the group. The members are famous for their fierce hunting instinct and (usually) streamlined body.

The Family Procyonidae (the raccoons)

The Family Phocidae (the seals)

The Family Otariidae (the eared seals and sea lions)

The Family Odobenidae (the walrus)

Evolutionary history

The caniforms first appeared as tree-climbing, cat-like carnivores in the Paleocene (65–55 million years ago). Miacis was probably an early caniform.

Classification

   Caniformia   

Amphicyonidae†



Canidae


   Arctoidea   
   Ursoidea   

Hemicyonidae†



Ursidae




Pinnipedia

Enaliarctidae†



   

Phocidae



   

Otariidae



Odobenidae





   Musteloidea   
   

Ailuridae



   

Mephitidae



   

Procyonidae



Mustelidae








REferences

Dewey, T. and P. Myers. 2005. "Ursidae" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed September 09, 2008 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Ursidae.html.

Fahey, B. and P. Myers. 2000. "Canidae" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed September 09, 2008 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Canidae.html.


Myers, P., R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey. 2008. The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed September 09, 2008 at http://animaldiversity.org. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/classification/Caniformia.html#Caniformia Suborder Caniformia (caniform carnivores)


Wund, M. 2005. "Mustelidae" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed September 09, 2008 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mustelidae.html.



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