Cynodictis

extinct mammal genus

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Last updated

June 25, 2026

Quick Summary

Cynodictis was a genus of extinct carnivores that lived during the Eocene and Oligocene epochs in Europe. These creatures had long bodies and short legs, resembling weasels, and possessed retractile claws.1

Cynodictis is believed to be ancestral to modern dogs, foxes, and related species. Another extinct genus, Cynodesmus, which appeared in the Miocene epoch, is thought to have been derived from Cynodictis and to be on the direct ancestral line of true dogs and wolves. The name Cynodictis comes from Greek roots, with "cyn-" relating to dogs and "dictis" referring to an unknown Libyan animal mentioned by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus.12

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dog
Ancestry
…into the first true dog—namely, Cynodictis. This was a medium-size animal, longer than it was tall, with a long tail and a fairly brushy coat. Over the millennia Cynodictis gave rise to two branches, one in Africa and the other in Eurasia. The Eurasian branch was called Tomarctus and is…
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…into the first true dog—namely, Cynodictis. This was a medium-size animal, longer than it was tall, with a long tail and a fairly brushy coat. Over the millennia Cynodictis gave rise to two branches, one in Africa and the other in Eurasia. The Eurasian branch was called Tomarctus and is…
Read More