![]() It is also possible that the fractures and cracks in the teeth were the result of stiff competition between various carnivores. So it is possible that older animals wore them down faster or were not designed to eat hard foods such as bones or carrion. In many of the remains found, tooth fractures that occurred during the life of the animal were observed. However, he was not one of the specialized hunters – it could hunt animals that were the most numerous in a given place and time. The extinction of the powerful herbivores that formed the basis of his diet, and the resulting compulsion to eat small animals, contributed significantly to the extinction of the species.ĭire wolf (Aenocyon dirus / Canis dirus) Lifestyleīased on the bones found, it was shown that the dire wolf could travel in large herds. Smaller prey was not very nutritious for him, so he avoided it rather. It likely fed on wild horses († Equus occidentali), bison, sometimes mastodons, and giant ground sloths. It seems, however, that the teeth were less suited to breaking bones than that of the gray wolf. This would mean that the dire wolf pursued a diet and hunting strategy similar to them.Ī strong skull suggests that it was hunting large prey or feeding on carrion. Some scientists, however, found that the structure of muscles and skull was not much different from other canines, such as coyotes and lycaons. Thanks to his large teeth and strong cranial muscles, it could therefore hold down and knock down large prey. The wide zygomatic arches indicate the presence of large temporal muscles which contributed to the generation of strong bites. This means that it could kill more efficiently and faster than the gray wolf. Their structure indicates carnivore, but it is possible that this canine was omnivorous in a small percentage.ĭire wolf’s shearing teeth were larger than their modern relatives, and therefore could generate a stronger grip. The teeth were similar to those of a gray wolf, although not much larger. Dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus / Canis dirus) Teeth and diet The limbs, therefore, had to be proportionately shorter, but stronger than that of a gray wolf. Greater mass and a more muscular body were adapted to fighting and hunting animals of the Pleistocene megafauna. It is estimated that the dire wolf was heavier than the modern Canis lupus by approx. Today’s largest gray wolves were similar in size to average dire wolves, and the largest representatives of the Canis dirus were much larger than today’s Eurasian relatives. It is therefore believed that in groups where males had smaller fangs, there was no aggressive competition for females, while in male herds with large fangs, there could be acts of aggression against this background.ĭespite the great similarity to the gray wolf, both species differed significantly from each other in terms of genetics, which resulted in morphological differences. It also seems that there was no marked sexual dimorphism within the species, although in some debris clusters male tusks were much larger than female tusks. It is only estimated that it was about 8% shorter than the Canadian timber wolf ( Canis lupus occidentalis), but as tall as the average gray wolf ( Canis lupus), although stronger than it. However, due to the specific structure of the limbs of individuals found in the asphalt lakes of Rancho La Brea, it is difficult to compare the sizes of dire wolves from different populations. It was about 1.5 meters (59 in) long and weighed 50-79 kg (110 – 174 lb). Dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus / Canis dirus) Anatomy It is also possible that he migrated to the northern parts of Canada, but the remains and other traces there may have been destroyed by glacial activity. In North America, these were grasslands, plains and forested mountain areas, in South America, dry savannas.īased on the remains found in the area from the province of Alberta (Canada) to the city of Tarija (Bolivia), it was established that the dire wolf occupied altitudes from sea level to 2,255 meters above sea level. The dire wolf lived in a variety of habitats. It is believed to have lived from the Late Pleistocene to early Holocene (125,000–9,500 years ago), during the reign of large carnivores and herbivores. Originally it was found in North America, but with time it spread to South America. Classificationĭire wolf (Aenocyon dirus / Canis dirus) Aenocyon dirus has several synonyms:ĭire wolf (Aenocyon dirus / Canis dirus) Occurrence and dating This is evidenced by the fact that today we will not meet it anywhere else outside the museum. It was a strong and dangerous predator, but not indestructible. It was a close relative of the gray wolf, with which it formed one ecological niche at one point. This large representative of the genus Canis / Aenocyon lived centuries ago in the areas of North and South America. Dire wolf ( Aenocyon dirus / Canis dirus)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |