Dusicyon avus

Dusicyon avus
Artistic reconstruction

Extinct (1464–1636)  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Dusicyon
Species:
D. avus
Binomial name
Dusicyon avus
Synonyms
  • Canis avus
  • Canis platensis Mercerat 1891

Dusicyon avus is an extinct species of canid native to South America during the Pleistocene and Holocene epochs. It was medium to large, about the size of a German shepherd. It was closely related to the Falkland Islands wolf (Dusicyon australis), which descended from a population of D. avus. It appears to have survived until very recently, perhaps 400 years ago.