Canis lepophagus

E746596

Canis lepophagus is an extinct early canid species thought to be a primitive ancestor or close relative of modern wolves and coyotes, known from North American fossil remains.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Canis lepophagus canonical 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf canid
extinct species
belongsTo tribe Canini
class Mammalia
considered close relative of modern coyotes
close relative of modern wolves
primitive ancestor of coyotes
describedBy John Campbell Merriam
diet carnivorous
small mammals
etymology "lepophagus" means "hare-eating"
evolutionarySignificance early member of genus Canis
important for understanding wolf and coyote origins
extinctionStatus extinct
family Canidae
fossilRange Pliocene
early Pleistocene
genus Canis
habitat grasslands
open habitats
semi-arid environments
isA early canid
prehistoric carnivore
prehistoric mammal
kingdom Animalia
knownFrom New Mexico
North America
Texas
United States
Washington (state)
linked to: Washington

fossil remains
locomotion cursorial
morphology elongated snout
lightly built skull
relatively small size
slender build
order Carnivora
phylum Chordata
preysOn hares
small vertebrates
relatedTo Canis latrans
Canis lupus
resembles modern coyote
small wolf
subfamily Caninae
taxonRank species
temporalRange Blancan
late Hemphillian
yearDescribed 1906

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Canis includesSpecies Canis lepophagus