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Carnivora

Carnivora is a large order in the class Mammalia that includes animal species that are either meat-eating or omnivorous. Although some carnivores have become omnivorous or even herbivorous during evolution, their common characteristics include sharp canine teeth, carnassial teeth for biting prey, and well-developed olfactory and visual systems. Carnivores are widely distributed in terrestrial, marine and freshwater environments around the world.

  • Scientific name: Carnivora

  • Characteristics:

    • Most have carnassial teeth for cutting meat.

    • Usually have strong limbs and agile movement.

    • Have highly developed sensory systems (especially smell and vision).

    • Includes predatory, omnivorous and herbivorous animals.

  • Main habitats: forests, grasslands, deserts, oceans, polar regions and other diverse ecological environments.

  • Representative animals: lions, tigers, wolves, bears, seals, etc.


Classification table of Carnivora

Carnivora is divided into two suborders:

  1. Caniformia: includes Canidae, Ursidae, Sealidae, etc.

  2. Feliformia: includes Felidae, Hyaenidae, Civetidae, etc.

The following is a detailed classification list of Carnivora, including all families and some typical genera and representative animals:

SuborderFamilyTypical genusRepresentative animals (Examples)
Canine suborderCanidaeCaniswolf, dog, jackal


Vulpesred fox, sand fox


Lycalopexsouth american gray fox

UrsidaeUrsusPolar bear, brown bear, black bear


Ailurusred panda

PhocidaePhocaRinged seal, gray seal


HydrurgaLeopard seal

MustelidaeMustelaYellow weasel, snow ferret


LutraEurasian otter, giant otter


Wolverine (Gulo)wolverine

ProcyonidaeProcyonraccoon


Bassaricyonhoney bear

Sea Otter (Enhydra)Enhydrasea otter
Feline suborderFelidaePantheraLion, tiger, leopard


FelisDomestic cat, desert cat


Neofelisclouded leopard

Hyena (Hyaenidae)Hyena (Hyaena)Striped hyena


CrocutaSpotted hyena

ViverridaeViverraLarge civet, small civet


ParadoxurusAsian Palm Civet

HerpestidaeHerpestesHerpestes

NandiniidaeNandiniaAfrican raccoon cat


Carnivora is one of the most diverse and adaptable groups of mammals, ranging from terrestrial From the polar regions to the tropics, carnivores have demonstrated amazing ecological adaptability. By understanding the classification and characteristics of carnivores, we can not only better understand their importance in nature, but also provide information for protecting these precious creatures. Scientific basis.

Carnivora Primates Rodents Chiroptera Eulipotyphla Ungulata Cetacea Lagoiformes Pangolins Proboscidea Monotremata
Lycalopex griseus

Lycalopex griseus

Lycalopex griseus,South American Grey Fox,Argentine fox, Patagonian fox

Features:The fur on the upper body is brindle gray, and the underparts are pale gray.

South American Gray Fox (Scientific name: Lycalopex griseus) is a small South American canine with no subspecies.South American gray foxes generally act alone, although they occasionally appear in pairs. They live in caves, often using abandoned armadillo caves. They are nocturnal and spend much tim...

Lycalopex fulvipes

Lycalopex fulvipes

Lycalopex fulvipes,Darwin's Fox,Fox

Features:The fur is dark gray, with red on the legs and face, and the red fur on the ears is particularly bright.

Darwin's Fox (Scientific name: Lycalopex fulvipes) is also known as Darwin's Fox in English. There are no subspecies. In 1834, Charles Darwin discovered and named this animal when he traveled through Chiloe Island.Darwin's fox is active during both the day and night, with no differences...

Lycalopex culpaeus

Lycalopex culpaeus

Lycalopex culpaeus,Lobo Andino、Culpeo,Cobain fox, Ecuadorian jackal

Features:It is the second largest canid in South America, second only to the maned wolf.

Mountain fox (scientific name: Lycalopex culpaeus) is also known as Lobo Andino and Culpeo, and has 6 subspecies.Mountain foxes have well-developed hearing and smell, are cunning, and are agile. They like to act alone. They hunt at night. They usually come out at night and sleep in caves during the...

Cerdocyon thous

Cerdocyon thous

Cerdocyon thous,Crab-eating Fox

Features:A fox that can suck crabs

Crab-eating fox (scientific name: Cerdocyon thous) is called Crab-eating Fox in foreign language. There are 5 subspecies.Crab-eating fox is mainly active at night and also active at dusk, spending the day in caves dug by different animals. Hunting alone or living in pairs. They are monogamous, usual...

Urocyon littoralis

Urocyon littoralis

Urocyon littoralis,Channel Islands Fox,海岸灰狐,短尾狐,岛狐,海峡群岛狐,海岛灰狐

Features:It is a species endemic to the Channel Islands.

The Channel Islands Fox (scientific name: Urocyon littoralis) is a small fox with 6 subspecies.The Channel Islands Fox is not afraid of humans, is at the top of the food chain on the island, and has no natural predators. Generally docile and easy to tame. They use smell, hearing and visual signals t...

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Urocyon cinereoargenteus,Grey Fox

Features:The fur is coarse, gray on the upper part, golden on the lower part, and white on the belly.

Grey Fox (scientific name: Urocyon cinereoargenteus) is also known as Grey Fox in English. There are 16 subspecies.The gray fox's nesting territory is 3-5.6 square kilometers. The short-distance running speed can reach 45 kilometers per hour. Good at climbing trees, the tree-climbing ability is...

Otocyon megalotis

Otocyon megalotis

Otocyon megalotis,Bat-eared fox,Bat-eared fox, Cape fox

Features:Bat-wing ears

The big-eared fox (scientific name: Otocyon megalotis) has bat-wing-like ears that can be up to 14 cm long. There are two subspecies. In fact, its species name "megalotis" comes from the Greek words "mega" and "otus", which means big ears.In the Serengeti Plain, 85% of...

Vulpes zerda

Vulpes zerda

Vulpes zerda,fennec,Fennec Fox,Big-eared fox, desert fox

Features:It is the smallest fox species and ranked first in the list of the world's cutest species selected by CNN in 2013.

Fennec fox (scientific name: Vulpes zerda) is also known as fennec or Fennec Fox in English. It is one of the smallest canids in the world, about the size of a kitten, and has no subspecies.Hot days and cold nights are common in the North African desert, and the small fennec fox is well adapted to t...

Vulpes velox

Vulpes velox

Vulpes velox,Swift Fox

Features:The savannah fox is the smallest wild canid in North America.

The veld fox (scientific name: Vulpes velox) is also known as the Swift Fox in English. It has three subspecies.Steppe foxes are agile and can run up to 50 kilometers per hour. Their swift running helps them catch food and avoid being hunted by other predators. Hiding in underground caves is another...

Vulpes rueppellii

Vulpes rueppellii

Vulpes rueppellii,Rüppell's Fox,Lupper fox, Lupper fox

Features:Usually reddish to gray with a line of black spots from eyes to nose and a white tail tip.

Rüppell's Fox (scientific name: Vulpes rueppellii) is also known as Rüppell's Fox in English. There are 5 subspecies.Rüppell's Fox is most active at dusk and throughout the night, spending most of its time in caves and crevices. These dens are occupied for an average of 4-5 days befor...

Vulpes pallida

Vulpes pallida

Vulpes pallida,Pale Fox,African Corso Fox

Features:Slender, low body and relatively short limbs, narrow muzzle, long ears with slightly rounded tips

Pale Fox (scientific name: Vulpes pallida) is also known as Pale Fox in foreign languages. There are 5 subspecies.Pale Fox is mainly active at night. It is a social animal, usually living in a small family group consisting of a pair of adult males and females and their children. They like to dig hol...

Vulpes macrotis

Vulpes macrotis

Vulpes macrotis,Kit Fox, Desert Fox,North American giant-eared fox, sensitive fox, North American corsac fox

Features:Able to run at speeds of up to 40 km/h over short distances

Kit Fox (scientific name: Vulpes macrotis), also known as Kit Fox and Desert Fox, is one of the smallest foxes in America, with no subspecies.Kit Fox likes to build dens in places with loose soil. Spend most of their time in dens, digging their own burrows or using those of prairie dogs, other roden...

Vulpes chama,

Vulpes chama,

Vulpes chama,Cape Fox,silverback fox, cape fox, cape fox

Features:They mainly feed on insects and are very intelligent.

Cape fox (scientific name: Vulpes chama) is also known as Cape Fox, and has no subspecies.Cape foxes are mainly nocturnal, although cubs play outside the cave during the day. The species forages alone or in pairs. Cape foxes are not very territorial, with overlapping ranges that vary from 1.0-4.6 sq...

Vulpes cana

Vulpes cana

Vulpes cana,Blanford's Fox

Features:The nose is thin and the ears are large, which can be used to dissipate heat.

Afghan fox (scientific name: Vulpes cana) is also known as Blanford's Fox, and has no subspecies.Strictly speaking, the Afghan fox is a nocturnal animal and a solitary hunter. Most of the time, the Afghan fox hunts alone. Even mating pairs tend to forage independently. There is no seasonal varia...

Vulpes bengalensis

Vulpes bengalensis

Vulpes bengalensis,Bengal Fox, Indian Fox

Features:A fox species endemic to the Indian subcontinent

Bengal fox (scientific name: Vulpes bengalensis) is also known as Bengal Fox, Indian Fox, and has no subspecies.The preferred habitat of the Bengal fox is small open grasslands and thorny bushes, and they seem to avoid steep mountains and endless grasslands. Recent research reports show that the Ben...

Speothos venaticus

Speothos venaticus

Speothos venaticus,Bush Dog,bush dog, water dog, forest dog

Features:It has a broad head, a short mouth, and underdeveloped webbed feet. It is a canine species unique to South America.

Bush Dog (scientific name: Speothos venaticus) is also known as Bush Dog in English. It has 3 subspecies.Taxonomic Notes Because Latin is usually used as the official language for animal classification to describe animals, the species and species names of the bush dog are very interesting. The descr...

Lycaon pictus

Lycaon pictus

Lycaon pictus,African Wild Dog,African hunting dog, tricolor jackal, African wild dog

Features:The fur color is relatively messy, and the teamwork and endurance are good.

African wild dog, also known as Lycaon pictus, has five subspecies.The territory of African wild dogs ranges from 200 to 2,000 square kilometers. In the past, when they were more numerous, each group had about 40 members, and the largest group ever recorded had 100 members. Generally, each group has...

Dusicyon australis

Dusicyon australis

Dusicyon australis

Features:The world's southernmost wolf has gone extinct

The Falkland Islands Wolf (scientific name: Dusicyon australis) is a species of Canidae that became extinct in 1876 (on West Falkland Island). The closest relative is the South American gray fox that lives in Patagonia, Argentina, which was also introduced to the Falkland Islands in modern times.Bef...

Chrysocyon brachyurus

Chrysocyon brachyurus

Maned wolf, Brazilian wolf, South American wolf

Features:Has a long golden-red "coat" and a distinctive mane that can stand upright

Maned wolf (scientific name: Chrysocyon brachyurus), also known as Maned wolf in English, is a rare animal of the genus Chrysocyon in the family Canidae, with no subspecies.Male and female maned wolves have a relatively fixed mate relationship and usually share a territory (about 27 square kilometer...

Canis simensis

Canis simensis

Simian jackal, steppe jackal, Abyssinian jackal, Simian mountain jackal

Features:Distinctive reddish brown fur

The Ethiopian Wolf (scientific name: Canis simensis) is a small dog with two subspecies.Every morning, Ethiopian wolf packs spend several minutes performing a greeting ritual, sniffing, barking, biting, scratching, licking, and staring at each other. This daily ritual strengthens the unity of the wo...

Canis rufus

Canis rufus

Canis rufus,Red Wolf,North American red wolf

Features:In winter, the red element in the coat color is dominant

Red wolf (scientific name: Canis rufus), also known as Red Wolf in English, is a canine species that lives in North America and has 4 subspecies.Red wolves communicate with their conspecifics through tactile and auditory signals, body language, pheromones, and vocalizations, all of which help commun...