Canis cedazoensis

Canis cedazoensis Temporal range: Pliocene–Pleistocene PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Conservation status
Fossil
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Canidae
Genus:	Canis
Species:	†C. cedazoensis
Binomial name
†Canis cedazoensis Mooser and Dalquest 1975
File:Canis cedazoensis range.png
Range of Canis cedazoensis based on fossil finds

Canis cedazoensis is an extinct species of smaller Canidae which was endemic to North America from the Blancan stage of the Pliocene epoch through the Irvingtonian stage of the Pleistocene epoch living 4.9 Ma—300,000 years ago. Canis cedazoensis existed for approximately 4.6 million years.

Taxonomy

Canis cedazoensis was named by O. Mooser and W. W. Dalquest. 1975.

File:Canis cedazoensis timeline.png

Timeline highlighting Canis cedazoensis in red

Morphology

The morphology and dentition of C. cedazoensis suggests a hypercarnivorous jackal-like animal than what is seen in any current jackal or species of its time. C. cedazoensis is close in size to the living Canis aureus. C. cedazoensis appears to form an endemic clade with Canis thooides and Canis feneus, and is possibly descended from Canis lepophagus.

Shared habitat

C. cedazoensis would have shared its habitat with both canids Armbruster's wolf and dire wolf for approximately 1.5 million years before becoming extinct about the same time as C. armbrusti. Other competitors would have been the felidae Smilodon and Homotherium.

Fossil distribution

The first fossil record was found in Cedazo, Mexico in an Irvingtonian terrestrial horizon. The second site was in eastern Arizona.