Dirus

Amphicyon ingens, one of the largest prehistoric bear-dogs, crossed the Bering Land Bridge and became an apex predator on the plains of North America. Middle Miocene.

DNA reveals that Aenocyon dirus split from prehistoric gray wolves around 5.5 Mya, the last in an extinct dog lineage that evolved in North America—so different from other canids that they didn’t interbreed.

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DNA reveals that prehistoric dire wolves weren’t closely related to wolves or coyotes, rather they were the last in a dog lineage that evolved in North America—so different from other canids that they didn’t interbreed.

The extinct dire wolf was a very close relative of the timber wolf. It probably hunted like the timber wolf in packs of from three to over 20 animals. The dire wolf had stronger and more powerful teeth and jaws and could bring down an animal as large as a bison or camel. However, it is probable that much of their diet consisted of small mammals and the kills of other carnivores.