Carnivora is an order of placental mammals that have specialized in primarily eating flesh. Members of this order are called carnivorans, or colloquially carnivores, though the term more properly refers to any meat-eating organisms, and some carnivoran species are omnivores or herbivores. Carnivora is the fifth largest order of mammals and currently comprises 291 extant species, which are grouped into 131 genera. Carnivora can be divided into two suborders: the cat-like Feliformia and the dog-like Caniformia, which are differentiated largely based on the structure of their ear bones and cranial features. The majority of feliform species are found in the Old World, though the cats have successfully diversified into the Americas. Members of the Caniformia group are found worldwide. Carnivorans live on every major landmass and in a variety of habitats, including polar regions, hyper-arid deserts, and the open seas. They come in a wide array of body plans in contrasting shapes and sizes, ranging from the 17 cm (7 in) least weasel to the 6 m (20 ft) and 3,700 kg (8,200 lb) male southern elephant seal. Some carnivorans, such as cats, dogs, and the ferret, have been domesticated, resulting in a worldwide distribution. The feliforms are further subdivided into seven families: Eupleridae, Felidae, Herpestidae, Hyaenidae, Nandiniidae, Prionodontinae, and Viverridae, and include the cats, the hyenas, the mongooses and the viverrids, among others. The caniforms are divided into nine families: Ailuridae, Canidae, Mephitidae, Mustelidae, Odobenidae, Otariidae, Phocidae, Procyonidae, and Ursidae, and include the dogs, bears, raccoons, weasels, and pinnipeds. The exact organization of the species is not fixed, with many recent proposals made based on molecular phylogenetic analysis, including smaller re-categorizations such as promoting the black mongoose subspecies of the slender mongoose to a full species or the 2011 discovery of the Vietnam ferret-badger, as well as larger changes such as formally recognizing the family Eupleridae as separate from Viverridae and Herpestidae in 2003. In addition to the extant species, six species have gone extinct since 1500 CE: the Falkland Islands wolf and South American fox in Canidae, the sea mink and Japanese otter in Mustelidae, the Japanese sea lion in Otariidae, and the Caribbean monk seal in Phocidae.
Conventions The author citation for the species or genus is given after the scientific name; parentheses around the author citation indicate that this was not the original taxonomic placement. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the collective range of species in that genera is provided. Ranges are based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species unless otherwise noted. All extinct genera or species listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a dagger symbol "†".
Classification
The order Carnivora consists of 291 extant species belonging to 131 genera as well the extinct genus Dusicyon, comprising 2 extinct species, and 4 other extinct species, which are the only carnivoran species to go extinct since prehistoric times. This does not include hybrid species (such as wolfdogs or ligers) or extinct prehistoric species. Modern molecular studies indicate that the 131 genera can be grouped into 16 families, split into the Caniformia and Feliformia clades, and several of these families are subdivided into named subfamilies. Three families of semi-aquatic animals, Odobenidae, Otariidae, and Phocidae, are collected into the suborder Pinnipedia.
Carnivorans The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis, including smaller re-categorizations such as promoting the black mongoose subspecies of the slender mongoose to a full species or the 2011 discovery of the Vietnam ferret-badger, as well as larger changes such as formally recognizing the family Eupleridae as separate from Viverridae and Herpestidae in 2003.
Suborder Caniformia
Ailuridae The Ailuridae family is composed of one species, commonly called the red panda.
Canidae
Members of the Canidae family are canids and include domestic dogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes, jackals, and dingoes, among others. Canidae comprises 37 extant species, divided into 14 genera and placed inside a single extant subfamily, Caninae. Caninae is split into two tribes: Canini, comprising the wolf-like canids, and Vulpini, the fox-like canids.
Mephitidae
Members of the Mephitidae family are mephetids and include the skunks and stink badgers. Mephitidae comprises twelve extant species, divided into four genera, and is not split into subfamilies.
Mustelidae
Members of the Mustelidae family are mustelids and include weasels, badgers, otters, ferrets, martens, minks, and wolverines, among others. Mustelidae is the largest family in Carnivora, and comprises 62 extant species, divided into 23 genera. These genera are split into 8 subfamilies: Guloninae, martens and wolverines; Helictidinae, ferret-badgers; Ictonychinae, African polecats and grisons; Lutrinae, otters; Melinae, Eurasian badgers; Mellivorinae, the honey badger; Mustelinae, weasels and minks; and Taxidiinae, the American badger.
Clade Pinnipedia
Pinnipedia is an infraorder of carnivores, composed of seals, sea lions, and the walrus. A member of this group is called a pinniped or a seal. The clade contains three families: Odobenidae, comprising the walrus; Otariidae, the eared seals, split between the sea lions and fur seals; and Phocidae, the earless or true seals. Odobenidae and Otariidae are combined into the superfamily Otarioidea, with Phocidae in Phocoidea. These families are not subdivided into subfamilies.
Odobenidae The Odobenidae family is composed of a single extant species, the walrus.
Otariidae Members of the Otariidae family are otariids, or colloquially eared seals. There are sixteen species of sea lions and fur seals in Otariidae, divided into seven genera.
Phocidae Members of the Phocidae family are phocids, or colloquially earless or true seals. There are nineteen species of seals in Phocidae, divided into fourteen genera.
Procyonidae
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