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Dog History 40 Million Years Ago
To Present
.
Canidae:
42
to 35 million years ago. Canidae or Canids
split from Caniformia, a dog-shaped carnivore that has a long snout
and non-retractile claws. Canids are comprised of the subfamilies of Hesperocyoninae
(ancient canids), Caninae (modern dogs), and Borophaginae
(hyena-like canines).
Hesperocyonine:
40
to 15 million years ago. These animals looked
like a cross between a fox and a weasel. They originated and remained in
North America. It became extinct except for the Nothocyon and Leptocyon
lines.
Borophagine: 40
to 2.5 million years ago. These animals looked like a cross
between hyenas and dogs. short-faced, heavy-jawed, and often massive in
size. This subfamily descended from Hesperocyoninae. They existed
only in North America.
Tomarctus:
23
to 16 million years ago. Belonging to the
subfamily of Borophagine, this animal was derived
from the Nothocyon line of Hesperocyonine,
as Bear dogs (Amphicyonids) became extinct, Tomarctus filled
the niche of fruit eating and bone-crushers.
Caninae:
40 million - present Modern dog ancestors. |
|
.
| Leptocyon:
9-10
million years ago. A small fox begins the radiation of Canis
(wolves,
foxes, coyotes, dingoes, jackals,dholes and lycaons), Urocyon
(Gray
fox, Island fox), and Vulpes (true foxes) in North
America. This radiation began in the southwest United States, the birthplace
of modern dogs. By 8 million years ago canines like Canis davisii spread
to Eurasia via Beringia. |
.
| Canis lepophagus:
4-5 million years ago. This dog is
small and varied. Some individuals are coyote-like while others have wolf-like
characteristics. Canis latrans, a small coyote probably has descended
from Canis lepophagus. |
.
| Canis edwardii: 1.5-1.8
million years ago. Also kown as Edward's Wolf, this is the
first North American canine clearly identifiable as a wolf. At this time,
Canis rufus (Red wolf) and possibly a descendent of Canis
Edwardii appears. |
..
| Canis ambrusteri:
800,000
years ago. Armbrusters wolf appears in North America and
has spred throughout the continent. It eventually spreads across North
and South America. Soon it disappears from North America, but probably
continues to survive in South America to become the ancestor of the Dire
wolf, Canis dirus. There is some other evidence that Canis
dirus may have arose instead from other small South American wolves.
Several varieties of wolves populate Europe . |
..
| Canis lupus: 300,000
years ago. The Grey wolf is dominant in Europe and eventually
enters North America via the Bering land bridge. |
.
| Canis rufus:
25,000 years ago. The Red Wolf
appears as a result of hybridization of Gray wolves (Canis lupus)
and coyotes (Canis latrans) that occurs "during the past 12,500
years, and probably during the past 2,500 years."
Around 14,000
years ago a split occurred with some wolves
becoming scavangers and quiting hunting. It's this branch of wolf that
would follow man, cleaning up kill sites, and eventually becoming modern
dogs. |
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