ANATOMY
The dingo is a subspecies of the taxon Canis lupus, which also includes domestic dogs and the free-rangingl, pariah dogs of southeast Asia. The dingo has a broad head, pointed muzzle, large carnassial, long canines, and erect ears. Their eye colour varies from yellow to brown, and they have distinct nuchal lines on their heads.
Dingo fur is rather short, but soft and bushy towards the tail end, varying in thickness depending on the climate of their home range. The fur is bi-coloured, usually a sandy to red-brown colour, with white patches on the chests and limbs which helps to camouflage it effectively in its natural environment.
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The average size of the Australian dingo ranges between 117 to 154 cm nose to tail tip and 52 to 60 cm tall at the shoulders, They weigh between 30 to 44 pounds, with males being larger than females. There is some variation in body size depending on their distribution. Dingoes in northern Australia tend to be larger than central or southern dingoes, and Australian dingoes are heavier than their Asian counterparts. Interestingly, the hind-feet have no dew claws, and their tails can be carried either erect with a curve or directly on the back.
Physiology of Canis Lupus
Images for slideshow courtesy of Washington State University (http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/anatomy/dog_digest.aspx)
References:
Trumler, Eberhard (1981). Meine wilden Freunde – Die Wildhundarten der Welt (in German). Muenich: R. Piper & Co. Verlag. ISBN 3-492-02483-1.
Fleming, Peter; Laurie Corbett; Robert Harden; Peter Thomson (2001). Managing the Impacts of Dingoes and Other Wild Dogs. Commonwealth of Australia: Bureau of Rural Sciences.
Corbett, Laurie (2004). "Dingo". In Claudio Sillero-Zubiri, Michael Hoffmann and David W. Macdonald. Canids: Foxes, Wolves, Jackals and Dogs. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
.
Boitani, Luigi (1984) Simon & Schuster's Guide to Mammals. Simon & Schuster/Touchstone Books, ISBN 978-0-671-42805-1
Trumler, Eberhard (1981). Meine wilden Freunde – Die Wildhundarten der Welt (in German). Muenich: R. Piper & Co. Verlag. ISBN 3-492-02483-1.
Trumler, Eberhard (1981). Meine wilden Freunde – Die Wildhundarten der Welt (in German). Muenich: R. Piper & Co. Verlag. ISBN 3-492-02483-1.
Fleming, Peter; Laurie Corbett; Robert Harden; Peter Thomson (2001). Managing the Impacts of Dingoes and Other Wild Dogs. Commonwealth of Australia: Bureau of Rural Sciences.
Corbett, Laurie (2004). "Dingo". In Claudio Sillero-Zubiri, Michael Hoffmann and David W. Macdonald. Canids: Foxes, Wolves, Jackals and Dogs. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
.
Boitani, Luigi (1984) Simon & Schuster's Guide to Mammals. Simon & Schuster/Touchstone Books, ISBN 978-0-671-42805-1
Trumler, Eberhard (1981). Meine wilden Freunde – Die Wildhundarten der Welt (in German). Muenich: R. Piper & Co. Verlag. ISBN 3-492-02483-1.