Posts tagged canine

Carnivora!

All members of the order Carnivora fall into one of two sub-orders: Feliformia (cat-like), or Caniformia (dog-like). Outward appearance of carnivora can be deceiving; most people would classify the hyena and aard-wolf as “dog-like”, while the weasels and pole-martens are commonly considered “cat-like”, which they are not.

The Feliformidae are obligate carnivores; that is, they must eat meat to survive, as their body cannot produce one or more nutrients that cannot be found in plants, or that their digestive tracts cannot absorb large amounts of non-animal matter. They are not all hypercarnivorans (meat making up >70% of the diet), however. The order Feliformia includes all of the cats (Felidae), mongooses and meerkats (Herpestidae), hyenas (Hyaenidae), civets and genets (Viverridae), as well as two very small families: the Nandiniidae, which contains only the African palm civet; and the Prionodontidae, which contains the two Asiatic linsangs. 

Caniformidae include the seals, sea lions, and walruses (Pinnipedia); true dogs (Canidae); bears (Ursidae); skunks (Mephitidae); badgers, weasels, and otters (Mustelidae); raccoons, coatis, and kinkajous (Procyonidae); and the family containing only the red panda (Ailuridae).

Most Caniformidae (except for the Canidae, interestingly enough) are plantigrade - that is, they walk on all of their podial and tarsal bones on the ground at the same time. This affords greater stability and weight-bearing ability and is helpful when standing your ground or trying to balance in trees.

The Feliformidae (and the true dogs, or Canidae) are almost completely digitigrade - they walk on just their finger and toe bones, and have elongated “heel” bones and Achilles tendons. Digitigrade animals can move much more quickly and quietly than plantigrade animals, and their specialized “heels” allow for spring-type motion, like what you see in cats. 

Huge h/t to the ever-awesome Emily Graslie of The Brain Scoop for finding the words to simplify something I’ve wanted to post on for a while ;D Go watch The Brain Scoop and get smart!

More on Tetrapodal Locomotion!
The Brain Scoop

Images from:

[Wolverine, Walrus] American Animals. Witmer Stone and William Everett Cram, 1902.

[Spotted Hyena, California Sea Lion] The Book of the Animal Kingdom: Mammals. W. Percivall Westell, 1910.

[Black-Footed Ferret, Polar Bear] Quadrupeds of North America. John James Audubon, 1851.

[Kinkajou, Lion] Dictionnaire Universel d’Histoire Naturelle. M. Charles d’Orbigny, 1849.

biomedicalephemera: Canid and Felidae Skeletons. Note the similarities in skull structure between the carnivores - forward-facing eyes with depth perception, sharp fangs, and large temporal surfaces for muscle attachment. The size of the mandibular muscles and strong vaulting of the skull affords the massive jaw strength that can be required to crunch through, at a minimum, tough skin and sinew. In the case of the hyena, the mandibles are strong enough to break up the bones of even large cattle. Das thierleben in Schönbrunn, 1904.

biomedicalephemera:

Canid and Felidae Skeletons.

Note the similarities in skull structure between the carnivores - forward-facing eyes with depth perception, sharp fangs, and large temporal surfaces for muscle attachment. The size of the mandibular muscles and strong vaulting of the skull affords the massive jaw strength that can be required to crunch through, at a minimum, tough skin and sinew. In the case of the hyena, the mandibles are strong enough to break up the bones of even large cattle.

Das thierleben in Schönbrunn, 1904.

Abyssinian Wolf - Canis simensis Despite appearing more coyote or fox-like, and previously being thought to be anything from jackal to domestic dog mutation, molecular genetics now place the “Abyssinian wolf” (now commonly known as the Ethiopian Wolf) much closer to grey wolves than any other canid. They are the most critically endangered canine species that is still extant in the wild.  In addition to being incredibly rare, Abyssinian wolves have a fairly distinct lineage from the grey wolves, and are highly specialized for their niche in the Ethiopian ecosystem. Their teeth are spaced significantly farther apart than other canids, to more effectively catch and eat small-to-medium-sized rodents. Each individual hunts by itself during the day, but they still retain the pack dynamic that many other carnivores have, at least while resting. Interestingly, though once widespread, no known tribes use the Abyssinian wolf within their folklore, though Ethiopia now views the species as a national pride. This is in sharp contrast to the grey wolf, which is widely used in Native American and First Nations folklore, and many other sacred canid species. Abyssinian Birds and Mammals, from paintings by Louis Agassiz Fuertes. Chicago Field Museum of Natural History, 1926.

Abyssinian Wolf - Canis simensis

Despite appearing more coyote or fox-like, and previously being thought to be anything from jackal to domestic dog mutation, molecular genetics now place the “Abyssinian wolf” (now commonly known as the Ethiopian Wolf) much closer to grey wolves than any other canid. They are the most critically endangered canine species that is still extant in the wild. 

In addition to being incredibly rare, Abyssinian wolves have a fairly distinct lineage from the grey wolves, and are highly specialized for their niche in the Ethiopian ecosystem. Their teeth are spaced significantly farther apart than other canids, to more effectively catch and eat small-to-medium-sized rodents. Each individual hunts by itself during the day, but they still retain the pack dynamic that many other carnivores have, at least while resting.

Interestingly, though once widespread, no known tribes use the Abyssinian wolf within their folklore, though Ethiopia now views the species as a national pride. This is in sharp contrast to the grey wolf, which is widely used in Native American and First Nations folklore, and many other sacred canid species.

Abyssinian Birds and Mammals, from paintings by Louis Agassiz Fuertes. Chicago Field Museum of Natural History, 1926.

Medial and caudal views of the musculoskeletal system of the dog - left forelimb from the elbow down. Illustrating the tendons, muscles, and bones of the paws. Shepherd dog from Germany used for illustration - likely similar to today’s German Shepherds. Handbuch der Anatomie der Tiere für Künstler. Wilhelm Ellenberger, Hermann Baum, and Hermann Dittrich, 1898.

Medial and caudal views of the musculoskeletal system of the dog - left forelimb from the elbow down.

Illustrating the tendons, muscles, and bones of the paws. Shepherd dog from Germany used for illustration - likely similar to today’s German Shepherds.

Handbuch der Anatomie der Tiere für Künstler. Wilhelm Ellenberger, Hermann Baum, and Hermann Dittrich, 1898.

Hyaenas, dogs, and wolves The image people have of hyenas is typically a group of “laughing”, gregarious, cowardly thieves of “legitimate” kills. But aside from the yelping laughter, the general perception is mostly wrong - only the spotted hyenas are gregarious, hyenas scavenge less than lions do (they kill their own food over 90% of the time), and they’re surprisingly smart. The sneakiness and intelligence of most hyena species (especially the striped hyenas) has led to many tribes incorporating them into their mythology and beliefs as a trickster, similar to the coyote of the native Americans. Natural History of the Animal Kingdom for the Use Of Young People. W. F. Kirby, 1889.

Hyaenas, dogs, and wolves

The image people have of hyenas is typically a group of “laughing”, gregarious, cowardly thieves of “legitimate” kills. But aside from the yelping laughter, the general perception is mostly wrong - only the spotted hyenas are gregarious, hyenas scavenge less than lions do (they kill their own food over 90% of the time), and they’re surprisingly smart.

The sneakiness and intelligence of most hyena species (especially the striped hyenas) has led to many tribes incorporating them into their mythology and beliefs as a trickster, similar to the coyote of the native Americans.

Natural History of the Animal Kingdom for the Use Of Young People. W. F. Kirby, 1889.

American Cross Fox This is actually a partially-melanistic form of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) - like the fully-melanistic silver fox, the only difference between the Cross Fox and the red fox is the coloration of the coat. There seem to be differences in body size and coat texture between the three, but it’s been shown that those differences are due to environment and diet. The Quadrupeds of North America. John James Audubon, 1851. ETA: This is actually  a gray fox. Whoops.

American Cross Fox

This is actually a partially-melanistic form of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) - like the fully-melanistic silver fox, the only difference between the Cross Fox and the red fox is the coloration of the coat. There seem to be differences in body size and coat texture between the three, but it’s been shown that those differences are due to environment and diet.

The Quadrupeds of North America. John James Audubon, 1851.

ETA: This is actually  a gray fox. Whoops.

Canid and Felidae Skeletons. Note the similarities in skull structure between the carnivores - forward-facing eyes with depth perception, sharp fangs, and large temporal surfaces for muscle attachment. The size of the mandibular muscles and strong vaulting of the skull affords the massive jaw strength that can be required to crunch through, at a minimum, tough skin and sinew. In the case of the hyena, the mandibles are strong enough to break up the bones of even large cattle. Das thierleben in Schönbrunn, 1904.

Canid and Felidae Skeletons.

Note the similarities in skull structure between the carnivores - forward-facing eyes with depth perception, sharp fangs, and large temporal surfaces for muscle attachment. The size of the mandibular muscles and strong vaulting of the skull affords the massive jaw strength that can be required to crunch through, at a minimum, tough skin and sinew. In the case of the hyena, the mandibles are strong enough to break up the bones of even large cattle.

Das thierleben in Schönbrunn, 1904.

Animal Guide: North American Wild Animals. Charles Reed, 1915.

Animal Guide: North American Wild Animals. Charles Reed, 1915.

Striped hyena, black-backed jackal, and wolf. New Illustrated Natural History of the World, Ernest Protheroe, 1910.

Striped hyena, black-backed jackal, and wolf.

New Illustrated Natural History of the World, Ernest Protheroe, 1910.

I may or may not have gotten distracted by actually organizing my files of books for a change (21 GB…yeah, there’s a LOT in there…). Organized it a while ago, but it was in a sad state of affairs…anyway! Posting some requests tonight, some tomorrow morning, and if you still have any animals/invertebrates etc you want to see, send them here. Foxes, wolves, coyotes, and jackals. Wild dogs! From Quadrupeds: What they are and where found; A Book of Zoology for Boys. By Captain Mayne Reid, 1870.

I may or may not have gotten distracted by actually organizing my files of books for a change (21 GB…yeah, there’s a LOT in there…). Organized it a while ago, but it was in a sad state of affairs…anyway! Posting some requests tonight, some tomorrow morning, and if you still have any animals/invertebrates etc you want to see, send them here.

Foxes, wolves, coyotes, and jackals. Wild dogs!

From Quadrupeds: What they are and where found; A Book of Zoology for Boys. By Captain Mayne Reid, 1870.