scientific Name
The scientific name of the grey wolf is Canis lupus.
complete taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species: Lupus
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species: Lupus
Close living relatives
Cladogram of grey wolf
evolutionary history
The first known historical ancestor of the wolf existed around 33-62 million years ago. This ancestor had a smaller physique and skull, about the size of a ferret. These ancestors moved from Asia to East Europe and eventually evolved into a larger, heavy jawed form, and then into a hyena-like creature whose habitat was North America about 15 million years ago. The Dire Wolf of 400,000 years ago coexisted with the closest ancestor of the Grey Wolf, until the Grey Wolf was the primary wolf, and the Dire Wolf became extinct 20,000-10,000 years ago. The wolf evolved into many different species based on location, including the Grey Wolf.