Speothos venaticus
Sign in to savespecies of canid found in Central and South America
AI overview
Speothos venaticus is a small wild dog species found in Central and South America that hunts in packs, unlike most other canids in its region. It matters because it represents a unique evolutionary branch of the canid family adapted to life in tropical forests, making it an important species for understanding canine diversity.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Species
Near ThreatenedSPECIES
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- ClassMammalia
- OrderCarnivora
- FamilyCanidae
Maximum longevity: 14.1 years (captivity) Observations: In captivity, these animals have lived up to 14.1 years of age (Richard Weigl 2005).
via GBIF · IUCN
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
Article
The bush dog (Speothos venaticus) is a canine found in Central and South America. In spite of its extensive range, it is very rare in most areas except in Suriname, Guyana and Peru; it was first described by Peter Wilhelm Lund from fossils in Brazilian caves and was believed to be extinct.
The bush dog is the only extant species in the genus Speothos, and genetic evidence suggests that its closest living relative is the maned wolf of central South America or the African wild dog. The species is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.