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  1. DomainEukaryota
    KingdomAnimalia
    PhylumChordata
    Description

    Most members of this group have nonretractile claws (the fisher, marten, sea otter (forepaws only), red panda, and ringtail, and some foxes have retractile or semi-retractile claws ) and tend to be plantigrade (with the ex… See more

    Extant families

    Caniformia consists of nine extant families, with three extinct families also recognized. The extant families are monophyletic according to phylogenetic molecular analysis. Terrestrial caniforms in the wild are found o… See more

    Evolution

    Caniforms first appeared as tree-climbing, superficially marten-like carnivores in the Eocene around 42 Mya. Miacis cognitus was probably an early caniform. Like many other early carnivorans it was well suited for tree climbin… See more

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