| Dog | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| General information | |||
| Universe | Real world | ||
| Classification | Canis familiaris | ||
| Homeworld | Earth | ||
| Intelligence | very intelligent | ||
| Biochemistry | Carbon-based | ||
| Biological information | |||
| Locomotion | Quadrupedal | ||
| Feeding behavior | Omnivorous | ||
| Distinctive features | Furry body, quadrupedal stance, long snout, tail, floppy ears. | ||
| Lineage information | |||
| Ancestor(s) | Wolf | ||
| Cultural information | |||
| Alignment | Lawful Neutral | ||
| Personality | Loyal Innocent Assertive when need be | ||
| Leaders | Modern-Day Human | ||
| Sociocultral characteristics | |||
| Scientific taxonomy | |||
| Domain | Eukaryota | ||
| Kingdom | Animalia | ||
| Phylum | Chordata | ||
| Subphylum | Vertebrata | ||
| Superclass | Tetrapoda | ||
| Class | Mammalia | ||
| Order | Carnivora | ||
| Suborder | Caniformia | ||
| Family | Canidae | ||
| Subfamily | Caninae | ||
| Tribe | Canini | ||
| Genus | Canis | ||
| Species | C. familiaris | ||
| Other information | |||
| Status | Domesticated | ||
The dog (Canis familiaris or Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from extinct Pleistocene wolves, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Dogs were the first species to be domesticated by hunter-gatherers over 15,000 years ago before the development of agriculture. Due to their long association with humans, dogs have expanded to a large number of domestic individuals and gained the ability to thrive on a starch-rich diet that would be inadequate for other canids.
The dog has been selectively bred over millennia for various behaviors, sensory capabilities, and physical attributes. Dog breeds vary widely in shape, size, and color. They perform many roles for humans, such as hunting, herding, pulling loads, protection, assisting police and the military, companionship, therapy, and aiding disabled people. Over the millennia, dogs became uniquely adapted to human behavior, and the human–canine bond has been a topic of frequent study. This influence on human society has given them the sobriquet of "man's best friend".
Biology[]
Dogs are quadrupedal mammals standing the height of a human knee. They have tails, like the majority of animals (excluding arthropods and great apes).
Reproduction[]
They become sexually mature at around six months of age, due to their relatively short life span compared to humans.
The Cute Dog: A Taxonomic Profile
The Dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is one of the most popular surviving species alongside the smaller Domestic Cat. Dogs inhabit houses in parts of the world. As the most popular existing canine, this iconic species holds an important role in both ecosystems and human culture. Their taxonomic classification reflects their evolutionary relationship to other canines.
Kingdom Animalia
Dogs belong to kingdom Animalia as complex, multicellular eukaryotic organisms. All animals share key characteristics like heterotrophic modes of nutrition, lacking cell walls, and lacking photosynthetic ability. Asian elephants require organic matter for sustenance.
Phylum Chordata
Placement in phylum Chordata is based on the presence of several key features. Dogs possess a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal gill slits, post-anal tail, and endoskeleton. These characteristics categorize them as vertebrates.
Class Mammalia
As mammals, dogs are endothermic, have hair, produce milk through mammary glands to feed their young, and have neocortex brain regions. They birth live young and possess specialized teeth. All qualities of class Mammalia.
Order Carnivora
This order contains canines and almost other carnivorous species. Dogs are placed here due to anatomical features adapted for their lifestyle, especially the sociality of a dog, and some dogs are muscular. Other shared traits include a sense of smell and high intelligence.
Family Canidae
The dog family consists of dogs, wolfs, and coyotes. Key unifying features are the sense of smell, sociality, intelligence, walking quadrupedal, and excellent eyesight and hearing range. Canis is the only Canidae genus in the world.
Genus Canis
Within Canidae, Dogs comprise the genus Canis. They are separate from the other genuses containing bears, seals and cats. Canis lupus familiaris is morphologically and geographically distinct.
Species C. lupus familiaris
The species epithet familiaris refers to how domesticated they are to the Grey wolf species. Three known canines are recognized: C. l. familiaris, C. l, and c. latrans. They vary slightly in size and geographic distribution.