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60-467: Caniformia is a suborder within the order Carnivora consisting of "dog-like" carnivorans. They include dogs ( wolves , foxes , etc.), bears , Pinnipedia ( seals , walruses and sea lions ), raccoons , Musteloidea , and even mustelids .. The center of diversification for the Caniformia is North America and northern Eurasia . Caniformia stands in contrast to the other suborder of Carnivora,

120-461: A cohors (plural cohortes ). Some of the plant families still retain the names of Linnaean "natural orders" or even the names of pre-Linnaean natural groups recognized by Linnaeus as orders in his natural classification (e.g. Palmae or Labiatae ). Such names are known as descriptive family names. In the field of zoology , the Linnaean orders were used more consistently. That is,

180-421: A "false thumb"—an extended wrist bone—with the modern species, suggesting the appendage was an adaptation to arboreal locomotion and not to feed on bamboo . Later and more advanced ailurids are classified in the subfamily Ailurinae and are known as the "true" red pandas. These animals were smaller and more adapted for an omnivorous or herbivorous diet. The earliest known true panda is Magerictis from

240-509: A capital letter. For some groups of organisms, their orders may follow consistent naming schemes . Orders of plants , fungi , and algae use the suffix -ales (e.g. Dictyotales ). Orders of birds and fishes use the Latin suffix -iformes meaning 'having the form of' (e.g. Passeriformes ), but orders of mammals and invertebrates are not so consistent (e.g. Artiodactyla , Actiniaria , Primates ). For some clades covered by

300-554: A dense canopy cover of more than 75 per cent, steep slopes and a density of at least 70 bamboo plants/m (6.5 bamboo plants/sq ft). In some parts of China, the red panda coexists with the giant panda. In Fengtongzhai and Yele National Nature Reserves , red panda microhabitat is characterised by steep slopes with lots of bamboo stems , shrubs, fallen logs and stumps, whereas the giant panda prefers gentler slopes with taller but lesser amounts of bamboo and less habitat features overall. Such niche separation lessens competition between

360-616: A diameter of 30 cm (12 in). Red pandas observed in Phrumsengla National Park used foremost easterly and southerly slopes with a mean slope of 34° and a canopy cover of 66 per cent that were overgrown with bamboo about 23 m (75 ft) in height. In Dafengding Nature Reserve , it prefers steep south-facing slopes in winter and inhabits forests with bamboo 1.5–2.5 m (4 ft 11 in – 8 ft 2 in) tall. In Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve , it inhabits mixed coniferous forest with

420-570: A distinct rank of biological classification having its own distinctive name (and not just called a higher genus ( genus summum )) was first introduced by the German botanist Augustus Quirinus Rivinus in his classification of plants that appeared in a series of treatises in the 1690s. Carl Linnaeus was the first to apply it consistently to the division of all three kingdoms of nature (then minerals , plants , and animals ) in his Systema Naturae (1735, 1st. Ed.). For plants, Linnaeus' orders in

480-513: A less white face and more contrast between the tail rings. In 2020, results of a genetic analysis of red panda samples showed that the red panda populations in the Himalayas and China were separated about 250,000 years ago. The researchers suggested that the two subspecies should be treated as distinct species. Red pandas in southeastern Tibet and northern Myanmar were found to be part of styani , while those of southern Tibet were of fulgens in

540-480: A preference for eating seals. The giant panda is the most herbivorous bear and has evolved a number of adaptations, including a sixth "toe", specialized teeth, and strong jaw muscles, to allow it to feed nearly exclusively on bamboo , a tough member of the grass family. The sloth bear has some adaptations for ant and termite eating , with a long snout, powerful claws, and missing upper front teeth, though it also eats honey and fruit. Family Ailuridae consists today of

600-839: A quadrupedal swimmer–retaining a form of aquatic locomotion that give rise to the major swimming types employed by modern pinnipeds. Puijila has been assigned to a clade of mustelids . The cladogram is based on molecular phylogeny of six genes in Flynn (2005), with the musteloids updated following the multigene analysis of Law et al. (2018). Amphicyonidae † [REDACTED] Canidae [REDACTED] Hemicyoninae † Ursidae [REDACTED] Enaliarctidae † [REDACTED] Phocidae [REDACTED] Otariidae [REDACTED] Odobenidae [REDACTED] Mephitidae [REDACTED] Ailuridae [REDACTED] Procyonidae [REDACTED] Mustelidae [REDACTED] Suborder What does and does not belong to each order

660-682: A reduced snout and triangular ears, and nearly evenly lengthed limbs. It has a head-body length of 51–63.5 cm (20.1–25.0 in) with a 28–48.5 cm (11.0–19.1 in) tail. The Himalayan red panda is recorded to weigh 3.2–9.4 kg (7.1–20.7 lb), while the Chinese red panda weighs 4–15 kg (8.8–33.1 lb) for females and 4.2–13.4 kg (9.3–29.5 lb) for males. It has five curved digits on each foot, each with curved semi-retractile claws that aid in climbing. The pelvis and hindlimbs have flexible joints, adaptations for an arboreal quadrupedal lifestyle. While not prehensile ,

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720-581: A single species, the red panda , which was once thought to be included in the Procyonidae or Ursidae lineages, but is now placed in its own family along with a number of extinct species. It is found in the Himalayas , including southern China , Nepal , Bhutan , India , and Pakistan . Fossil species of the family are also found in North America . Family Mephitidae (skunks and stink badgers)

780-506: Is 51–63.5 cm (20.1–25.0 in) with a 28–48.5 cm (11.0–19.1 in) tail, and it weighs between 3.2 and 15 kg (7.1 and 33.1 lb). It is well adapted to climbing due to its flexible joints and curved semi-retractile claws. The red panda was formally described in 1825. The two currently recognised subspecies, the Himalayan and the Chinese red panda, genetically diverged about 250,000 years ago. The red panda's place on

840-550: Is based on the grooves on the side of its canine teeth . Other early or basal ailurids include Alopecocyon and Simocyon , whose fossils have been found throughout Eurasia and North America dating from the Middle Miocene , the latter of which survived into the Early Pliocene . Both have similar teeth to Amphictis and thus had a similar diet. The puma -sized Simocyon was likely a tree-climber and shared

900-419: Is determined by a taxonomist , as is whether a particular order should be recognized at all. Often there is no exact agreement, with different taxonomists each taking a different position. There are no hard rules that a taxonomist needs to follow in describing or recognizing an order. Some taxa are accepted almost universally, while others are recognized only rarely. The name of an order is usually written with

960-430: Is only 4.2 times its body length, with a simple stomach, no noticeable divide between the ileum and colon , and no caecum . Both sexes have paired anal glands that emit a secretion consisting of long-chain fatty acids , cholesterol , squalene and 2-Piperidinone ; the latter is the most odoriferous compound and is perceived by humans as having an ammoniacal or pepper-like odour. The red panda inhabits Nepal ,

1020-542: Is protected in all range countries . Community-based conservation programmes have been initiated in Nepal , Bhutan and northeastern India ; in China, it benefits from nature conservation projects. Regional captive breeding programmes for the red panda have been established in zoos around the world. It is featured in animated movies, video games, comic books and as the namesake of companies and music bands. The origin of

1080-474: Is solitary and largely arboreal . It feeds mainly on bamboo shoots and leaves, but also on fruits and blossoms. Red pandas mate in early spring, with the females giving birth to litters of up to four cubs in summer. It is threatened by poaching as well as destruction and fragmentation of habitat due to deforestation . The species has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2015. It

1140-413: Is the only recognised species in the genus Ailurus . It is traditionally divided into two subspecies : the Himalayan red panda ( A. f. fulgens ) and the Chinese red panda ( A. f. styani ). The Himalayan subspecies has a straighter profile, a lighter coloured forehead and ochre -tipped hairs on the lower back and rump. The Chinese subspecies has a more curved forehead and sloping snout, a darker coat with

1200-538: The Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests ecoregion. The westernmost records to date were obtained in three community forests in Kalikot District in 2019. Panchthar and Ilam Districts represent its easternmost range in the country, where its habitat in forest patches is surrounded by villages, livestock pastures and roads. The metapopulation in protected areas and wildlife corridors in

1260-574: The Feliformia ("cat-like" carnivorans), the center of diversification of which was in Africa and southern Asia . Most members of this group have nonretractile claws (the fisher , marten , sea otter ( forepaws only), red panda , and ringtail , and some foxes have retractile or semi-retractile claws) and tend to be plantigrade (with the exception of the Canidae ). Other traits that separate

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1320-750: The Hengduan Mountains subalpine conifer forests and Qionglai-Minshan conifer forests in the Hengduan , Qionglai , Xiaoxiang , Daxiangling and Liangshan Mountains in Sichuan. In the adjacent Yunnan province, it was recorded only in the northwestern montane part. The red panda prefers microhabitats within 70–240 m (230–790 ft) of water sources. Fallen logs and tree stumps are important habitat features, as they facilitate access to bamboo leaves. Red pandas have been recorded to use steep slopes of more than 20° and stumps exceeding

1380-528: The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature , several additional classifications are sometimes used, although not all of these are officially recognized. In their 1997 classification of mammals , McKenna and Bell used two extra levels between superorder and order: grandorder and mirorder . Michael Novacek (1986) inserted them at the same position. Michael Benton (2005) inserted them between superorder and magnorder instead. This position

1440-784: The Kangchenjunga landscape of Sikkim and northern West Bengal is partly connected through old-growth forests outside protected areas. Forests in this landscape are dominated by Himalayan oaks ( Quercus lamellosa and Q. semecarpifolia ), Himalayan birch , Himalayan fir , Himalayan maple with bamboo, Rhododendron and some black juniper shrub growing in the understoreys . Records in Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh's Pangchen Valley , West Kameng and Shi Yomi districts indicate that it frequents habitats with Yushania and Thamnocalamus bamboo, medium-sized Rhododendron , whitebeam and chinquapin trees. In China, it inhabits

1500-564: The Late Oligocene or Early Miocene , about 25 to 18 million years ago . The earliest member Amphictis is known from its 10 cm (4 in) skull and may have been around the same size as the modern species. Its dentition consists of sharp premolars and carnassials (P4 and m1) and molars adapted for grinding (M1, M2 and m2), suggesting that it had a generalised carnivorous diet. Its placement within Ailuridae

1560-634: The Philippines ; all other skunks inhabit the Americas from Canada to central South America . Family Mustelidae (badgers, weasels and otters) is the largest family of carnivora, with 22 extant genera and roughly 57 extant species. While highly variable in shape, size, and behavior, most mustelids are smaller animals with short legs, short, round ears, and thick fur. Mustelids are predominantly carnivorous. While not all share identical dentition , they all possess teeth adapted for eating flesh, including

1620-815: The Systema Naturae and the Species Plantarum were strictly artificial, introduced to subdivide the artificial classes into more comprehensible smaller groups. When the word ordo was first consistently used for natural units of plants, in 19th-century works such as the Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis of Augustin Pyramus de Candolle and the Genera Plantarum of Bentham & Hooker, it indicated taxa that are now given

1680-401: The canids that adapted to more omnivorous diets. Pinnipedia (seals, sea lions, and walruses clade) is a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals which is closely related to an extinct group of pinnipeds, Enaliarctos . While support for the monophyly of pinnipeds is strong, the relationship of pinnipeds to terrestrial mammals is still unclear. Some studies support

1740-722: The evolutionary tree has been debated, but modern genetic evidence places it in close affinity with raccoons , weasels , and skunks . It is not closely related to the giant panda , which is a bear , though both possess elongated wrist bones or " false thumbs " used for grasping bamboo . The evolutionary lineage of the red panda ( Ailuridae ) stretches back around 25 to 18 million years ago , as indicated by extinct fossil relatives found in Eurasia and North America. The red panda inhabits coniferous forests as well as temperate broadleaf and mixed forests , favouring steep slopes with dense bamboo cover close to water sources. It

1800-494: The late Oligocene or early Miocene epochs, a transitional period between the warmer Paleogene and cooler Neogene periods . However, discovery of the fossil Puijila darwini in early Miocene deposits in Nunavut suggests a different scenario. Like a modern otter , Puijila had a long tail, short limbs, and webbed feet instead of flippers. However, its limbs and shoulders were more robust, and Puijila likely had been

1860-522: The red panda or lesser panda to distinguish it from the giant panda , which was formally described and named in 1869. The genus name Ailurus is adopted from the Ancient Greek word αἴλουρος ailouros meaning 'cat'. The specific epithet fulgens is Latin for 'shining, bright'. The red panda was described and named in 1825 by Frederic Cuvier , who gave it its current scientific name Ailurus fulgens . Cuvier's description

Caniformia - Misplaced Pages Continue

1920-460: The Caniformia from the Feliformia is that caniforms have longer jaws and more teeth, with less specialized carnassial teeth . They also tend more towards omnivory and opportunistic feeding, while the feliforms, other than the viverrids , are more specialized for eating meat. Caniforms have single-chambered or partially divided auditory bullae , composed of a single bone, while in feliforms,

1980-545: The Middle Miocene of Spain and known only from one tooth, a lower second molar. The tooth shows both ancestral and new characteristics having a relatively low and simple crown but also a lengthened crushing surface with developed tooth cusps like later species. Later ailurines include Pristinailurus bristoli which lived in eastern North America from the late Miocene to the Early Pliocene and species of

2040-506: The Pleistocene and appears to have been limited to Asia. The modern red panda's lineage became adapted for a specialised bamboo diet, having molar-like premolars and more elevated cusps. The false thumb would secondarily gain a function in feeding. Analysis of 53 red panda samples from Sichuan and Yunnan showed a high level of genetic diversity . The full genome of the red panda was sequenced in 2017. Researchers have compared it to

2100-479: The auditory bullae are double-chambered, composed of two bones joined by a septum . In the Caniformia, the bulbourethral glands and vesicula seminalis are always absent. Relative to body size, the baculum is usually longer in the Caniformia than in the Feliformia . Caniformia consists of nine extant families, with three extinct families also recognized. The extant families are monophyletic according to phylogenetic molecular analysis. Terrestrial caniforms in

2160-413: The dense undercoat is fluffier with shorter hairs. The guard hairs on the back have a circular cross-section and are 47–56 mm (1.9–2.2 in) long. It has moderately long whiskers around the mouth, lower jaw and chin. The hair on the soles of the paws allows the animal to walk in snow. The red panda has a relatively small head, though proportionally larger than in similarly sized raccoons, with

2220-417: The early 20th century, various scientists placed it in the family Procyonidae with raccoons and their allies. At the time, most prominent biologists also considered the red panda to be related to the giant panda, which would eventually be found to be a bear . A 1982 study examined the similarities and differences in the skull between the red panda and the giant panda, other bears and procyonids, and placed

2280-426: The endangered giant panda to the very common black bear . Common characteristics of modern bears include a large body with stocky legs, a long snout, shaggy hair, plantigrade paws with five nonretractile claws, and a short tail. Most bears are omnivorous, with largely varied diets that include both plants and animals. The polar bear is the most carnivorous of bears due to the arctic climate in which it lives, and shows

2340-501: The genome of the giant panda to learn the genetics of convergent evolution , as both species have false thumbs and are adapted for a specialised bamboo diet despite having the digestive system of a carnivore. Both pandas show modifications to certain limb development genes ( DYNC2H1 and PCNT ), which may play roles in the development of the thumbs. In switching from a carnivorous to a herbivorous diet, both species have reactivated taste receptor genes used for detecting bitterness , though

2400-502: The genus Parailurus which first appear in Early Pliocene Europe, spreading across Eurasia into North America. These animals are classified as a sister taxon to the lineage of the modern red panda. In contrast to the herbivorous modern species, these ancient pandas were likely omnivores, with highly cusped molars and sharp premolars . The earliest fossil record of the modern genus Ailurus dates no earlier than

2460-518: The hypothesis that the bears are their closest relatives, while others support a closer relationship to the mustelids. Pinnipeds split from other caniforms 50 million years ago (Mya) during the Eocene . The clade is currently divided into three families: Caniforms first appeared as tree-climbing, superficially marten -like carnivores in the Eocene around 42 Mya. Miacis cognitus was probably an early caniform. Like many other early carnivorans it

Caniformia - Misplaced Pages Continue

2520-430: The most social of all caniforms, sometimes living in packs . The dog is the most diverse of all mammals in terms of body structure variants. Family Ursidae (bears) is the largest of all the land caniforms. Eight species are recognized, divided into five genera. They range from the large polar bear (350–680 kilograms (770–1,500 lb) in males) to the small sun bear (30–60 kilograms (66–132 lb) in males) and from

2580-572: The name panda is uncertain, but one of the most likely theories is that it derived from the Nepali word "ponya". The word पञ्जा pajā or पौँजा pañjā means "ball of the foot" and "claws". The Nepali words "nigalya ponya" has been translated as "bamboo-footed" and is thought to be the red panda's Nepali name; in English, it was simply called panda , and was the only animal known under this name for more than 40 years; it became known as

2640-708: The orders in the zoology part of the Systema Naturae refer to natural groups. Some of his ordinal names are still in use, e.g. Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) and Diptera (flies, mosquitoes, midges, and gnats). In virology , the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses 's virus classification includes fifteen taxomomic ranks to be applied for viruses , viroids and satellite nucleic acids : realm , subrealm , kingdom , subkingdom, phylum , subphylum , class, subclass, order, suborder, family, subfamily , genus, subgenus , and species. There are currently fourteen viral orders, each ending in

2700-564: The precursor of the currently used International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants . In the first international Rules of botanical nomenclature from the International Botanical Congress of 1905, the word family ( familia ) was assigned to the rank indicated by the French famille , while order ( ordo ) was reserved for a higher rank, for what in the 19th century had often been named

2760-466: The presence of shearing carnassials . Members of Family Procyonidae (raccoons, coatis) are smallish animals, with generally slender bodies and long tails. Nineteen extant species in six genera are currently recognized. Except for the kinkajou , all procyonids have banded tails and distinct facial markings, and like bears, are plantigrade, walking on the soles of their feet. Most species have nonretractile claws. Early procyonids may have been an offshoot of

2820-502: The rank of family (see ordo naturalis , ' natural order '). In French botanical publications, from Michel Adanson 's Familles naturelles des plantes (1763) and until the end of the 19th century, the word famille (plural: familles ) was used as a French equivalent for this Latin ordo . This equivalence was explicitly stated in the Alphonse Pyramus de Candolle 's Lois de la nomenclature botanique (1868),

2880-401: The sides. In addition, the red panda's sesamoid has a more sunken tip while the giant panda's curves in the middle. These features give the giant panda more developed dexterity. The red panda's skull is wide, and its lower jaw is robust. However, because it eats leaves and stems, which are not as tough, it has smaller chewing muscles than the giant panda. The digestive system of the red panda

2940-1155: The species in its own family Ailuridae . The author of the study considered the red panda to be more closely related to bears. A 1995 mitochondrial DNA analysis revealed that the red panda has close affinities with procyonids. Further genetic studies in 2005, 2018 and 2021 have placed the red panda within the clade Musteloidea , which also includes Procyonidae, Mustelidae ( weasels and relatives) and Mephitidae ( skunks and relatives). Canidae [REDACTED] Ursidae [REDACTED] Pinnipedia [REDACTED] Ailuridae [REDACTED] Mephitidae [REDACTED] Procyonidae [REDACTED] Mustelidae [REDACTED] Mephitidae [REDACTED] Ailuridae [REDACTED] Procyonidae [REDACTED] Mustelidae [REDACTED] Canidae [REDACTED] Ursidae [REDACTED] Pinnipedia [REDACTED] Ailuridae [REDACTED] Mephitidae [REDACTED] Procyonidae [REDACTED] Mustelidae [REDACTED] The family Ailuridae appears to have evolved in Europe in either

3000-419: The specific genes are different. The red panda's coat is mainly red or orange-brown with a black belly and legs. The muzzle, cheeks, brows and inner ear margins are mostly white while the bushy tail has red and buff ring patterns and a dark brown tip. The colouration appears to serve as camouflage in habitat with red moss and white lichen -covered trees. The guard hairs are longer and rougher while

3060-660: The states of Sikkim , West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh in India, Bhutan , southern Tibet , northern Myanmar and China's Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. The global potential habitat of the red panda has been estimated to comprise 47,100 km (18,200 sq mi) at most; this habitat is located in the temperate climate zone of the Himalayas with a mean annual temperature range of 18–24 °C (64–75 °F). Throughout this range, it has been recorded at elevations of 2,000–4,300 m (6,600–14,100 ft). In Nepal, it lives in six protected area complexes within

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3120-618: The strict sense. DNA sequencing of 132 red panda faecal samples collected in Northeast India and China also showed two distinct clusters indicating that the Siang River constitutes the boundary between the Himalayan and Chinese red pandas. They probably diverged due to glaciation events on the southern Tibetan Plateau in the Pleistocene . The placement of the red panda on the evolutionary tree has been debated. In

3180-417: The suffix -virales . Red panda A. f. fulgens F. Cuvier, 1825 A. f. styani Thomas , 1902 The red panda ( Ailurus fulgens ), also known as the lesser panda , is a small mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China . It has dense reddish-brown fur with a black belly and legs, white-lined ears, a mostly white muzzle and a ringed tail. Its head-to-body length

3240-402: The tail helps the animal balance while climbing. The forepaws possess a "false thumb", which is an extension of a wrist bone, the radial sesamoid found in many carnivorans. This thumb allows the animal to grip onto bamboo stalks and both the digits and wrist bones are highly flexible. The red panda shares this feature with the giant panda, which has a larger sesamoid that is more compressed at

3300-436: The two bamboo-eating species. The red panda is difficult to observe in the wild, and most studies on its behaviour have taken place in captivity. The red panda appears to be both nocturnal and crepuscular , sleeping in between periods of activity at night. It typically rests or sleeps in trees or other elevated spaces, stretched out prone on a branch with legs dangling when it is hot, and curled up with its hindlimb over

3360-558: The wild are found on all continents with the exception of Antarctica, while pinnipeds are distributed throughout the world's oceans. Family Canidae (dogs and other canids ) includes wolves , dogs , coyotes , and foxes , as well as a number of less familiar animals. The family is currently divided into two major groups, the true dogs (tribe Canini), which includes nine genera, and the true foxes (tribe Vulpini) with two genera. In addition, two basal genera are described. About 35 species of extant canids are currently recognized. Canids are

3420-418: Was adopted by Systema Naturae 2000 and others. In botany , the ranks of subclass and suborder are secondary ranks pre-defined as respectively above and below the rank of order. Any number of further ranks can be used as long as they are clearly defined. The superorder rank is commonly used, with the ending -anae that was initiated by Armen Takhtajan 's publications from 1966 onwards. The order as

3480-548: Was based on zoological specimens , including skin, paws, jawbones and teeth "from the mountains north of India", as well as an account by Alfred Duvaucel . The red panda was described earlier by Thomas Hardwicke in 1821, but his paper was only published in 1827. In 1902, Oldfield Thomas described a skull of a male red panda specimen under the name Ailurus fulgens styani in honour of Frederick William Styan who had collected this specimen in Sichuan . The modern red panda

3540-409: Was once classified as mustelids, but are now recognized as a lineage in their own right. The 12 species of skunks are divided into four genera : Mephitis (hooded and striped skunks, two species), Spilogale (spotted skunks, four species), Mydaus (stink badgers, two species) and Conepatus ( hog-nosed skunks , four species). The two skunk species in the genus Mydaus inhabit Indonesia and

3600-411: Was well suited for tree climbing with needle-sharp claws, and had limbs and joints that resemble those of modern carnivorans. M. cognitus was probably a very agile forest dweller that preyed on smaller animals, such as small mammals , reptiles , and birds . Debate continues on the origin of pinnipeds. Recent molecular evidence suggests pinnipeds evolved from a bear-like ancestor about 23 Mya during

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