Canine | Mammal - Encyclopedia Britannica

Form and function

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A long face or muzzle is characteristic of wild canines. All have a relatively long and bushy tail. Most have a uniform coloration, although there are some contrasting colours on jackals and the gray fox, a dark mask on the raccoon dog, a blotching of black, yellow, and white on the African hunting dog, and a lighter-coloured belly in most species. The ears are pointed, erect, and often quite large in desert species. In addition to detecting sound, large ears are believed to act as heat regulators in species such as the bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis) and the fennec, allowing a greater amount of heat to be dissipated in hot climates. Arctic foxes tend to have much smaller ears, providing less loss of heat in a region where heat conservation is important to survival.

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Most canines have relatively long legs, especially the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) of South America. This feature makes canines well-adapted to running, as does the fact that they walk on their toes (digitigrade locomotion). Canines have exceptional stamina but are not capable of great bursts of speed. During winter, northern species often grow fur on their foot pads to provide traction on snow and protection from the cold. All canines have four well-developed toes plus a dewclaw (a vestigial fifth digit found on the feet of most mammals, reptiles, and birds that appears higher on the limb than the others) on the front feet, except the African hunting dog, which lacks the dewclaw. There are four toes on the rear feet. Each toe is capped by a blunt, nonretractile claw (i.e., with no sheath into which it can be withdrawn). Scent glands are often present at the base of the tail; these are used to mark territory.

Also called: canid (Show more) Related Topics: wolf Tomarctus Cynodictis Atelocynus Canis (Show more) See all related content

Most canines have 42 teeth with unspecialized incisors and large fanglike teeth, actually called canines, that are used to kill prey. The premolars are narrow and sharp and the carnassials well-developed. The molars form broad surfaces that can crush substantial bones.