African wild dog Temporal range: Middle Pleistocene – present (200,000–0 years BP)[1]
African wild dog in South Africa
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Canidae
Subfamily:	Caninae
Tribe:	Canini
Genus:	Lycaon
Species:	L. pictus
Binomial name
Lycaon pictus (Temminck, 1820)[3]
African wild dog range according to the IUCN.   Extant (resident)   Probably extant (resident)

The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), also known as the painted dog or Cape hunting dog, is a wild canine native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest wild canine in Africa, and the only extant member of the genus Lycaon, which is distinguished from Canis by dentition highly specialised for a hypercarnivorous diet and by a lack of dewclaws.

It is estimated that there are around 6,600 adults (including 1,400 mature individuals) living in 39 subpopulations, all threatened by habitat fragmentation, human persecution and outbreaks of disease. As the largest subpopulation probably consists of fewer than 250 individuals, the African wild dog has been listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1990.^[2]

The species is a specialised diurnal hunter of terrestrial ungulates, which it captures by using its stamina and cooperative hunting to exhaust them. Its natural competitors are lions and spotted hyenas: the former will kill the dogs where possible whilst the latter are frequent kleptoparasites.^[4] Like other canids, the African wild dog regurgitates food for its young but also extends this action to adults as a central part of the pack's social unit.^[5][4][6] The young have the privilege of feeding first on carcasses.

The African wild dog has been revered in several hunter-gatherer societies, particularly those of the San people and Prehistoric Egypt.

Etymology and naming

The English language has several names for the African wild dog, including African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog,^[7] painted hunting dog,^[8] painted dog,^[9] painted wolf,^[10] and painted lycaon.^[11] Though the name African wild dog is widely used,^[12] 'wild dog' is thought by conservation groups to have negative connotations that could be detrimental to its image; one organisation promotes the name 'painted wolf',^[13][14][15] whilst the name 'painted dog' has been found to be the most likely to counteract negative perceptions.^[16]

Taxonomic and evolutionary history

Taxonomy

Phylogenetic tree of the wolf-like canids with timing in millions of years[a]

Caninae 3.5 Ma 3.0 2.5 2.0 0.96 0.6 0.38 Domestic dog Gray wolf Coyote African wolf Golden jackal Ethiopian wolf Dhole African wild dog 2.6 Side-striped jackal Black-backed jackal

Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=East_African_wild_dog
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