Wolf Anatomy

[Chaos's Grave]

Thesaurus

1. Tail: Banner, Plume, Tassel.

2. Flank: Side, Hem, Fringe.

3. Paws: Socks, Pads, Mitts.

4. Limbs: Boughs, Pillars, Stocks, Stilts.

5. Underbelly: Belly, Stomach, Hollow, Abdomen, Tummy.

6. Body: Bodice, Bod, Bcak.

7. Muzzle: Maw, Dial, Jaws.

8. Eyes: Optics, Orbs, Pools, Windows, On-Lookers.

9. Ears: Auditories, Audils, Auds, Peaks, Pinnions.

10. Head: Cranium, Crania, Crown, Tiara, Top, Skull.

11. Fur: Coat, Pelt, Peltage, Hide.

12. Claws: Knives, Fork.

13. Nose: Scenter, Nostrils.

Teeth: Daggers, Ivories, Fangs, Hooks, Incisors.

[Chaos's Grave]

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Wolf Anatomy Description

Long skull
The typical carnivore skull is long, housing extensive and strong cheek muscles, necessary for holding onto prey, killing and consuming.

Large brain capacity
Skull capacity allows space for an advanced cerebral cortex (brain) necessary for coordinating group social activity.

Excelent hearing
Deep within the ears, the skull has evolved to house large cavities for enhanced hearing. With their large, pointed ears, the wolf is able to hear very faint sounds made by prey from a considerable distance - the equivalent of being able to hear a watch ticking 10m (33ft) away or a snapping twig 3km (2 miles) away. They also hear a much wider range of pitch than humans do.

Unique teeth
Large canine teeth, developed to catch and hold prey, can be up to 5cm (2in) long. The lower molars and upper premolars are adapted for shearing and cutting through flesh (these specialised teeth are called 'carnassials'). They have a set of 42 teeth made up of 6 incisers, 2 canines, 8 premolars and 6 molars (in the lower jaw. the upper jaw has 2 less molars). Powerful face muscles hold teeth locked together and help wolf hang on to it's prey.

Sense of smell
The wolf relies heavily on it's sense of smell for tracking prey, and recognising other wolves and their territory. A wolf can regocnise hundreds of thousands of smells which humans cannot even detect or distinguish. It can smell a moose from 2km (1.5 miles) away. It "reads" scents to obtain information on the type, condition and movements of the animal it is tracking and remembers and recognises the smells and scents of landmarks, to build a 'mental map' of the terrain.

Scent marking
Social communication is important for species that hunt communally. All canines have a scent-marking gland on the dorsal (back) surface of the tail. The gland leaves scent wherever the tail brushes.

Visual communication
All canines have a sophisticated repertoire of body language through which they communicate with each other. For example, the tail's position and the state of its hair send explicit messages.

Streamlined shape
The wolf is built for speed as it travels in pursuit of prey, often under cover through dense woodland and undergrowth. Towards this end it has a pointed muzzle, head and ears; narrow chest; long, slim legs; smooth fur; slender, tapering body; and long, pointed tail.

Sturdy limbs
The wolf's limbs are long, with four toes on the hindfoot and five on the forefoot. The claws, which are used for digging when burrying food, are large and do not retract like a cat's. They are clearly visible in the wolf's footprints. In order to capture prey, the wolf needs stability. This is provided by soft pads, close toes and non-retracting claws.The hind legs provide bursts of power and endurance. The joints are flexible, allowing the wolf to jump reasonably well.

Walking and running
Wolves walk with a trotting pace, and leave a single line of pawprints. Other wolves walk along the leader's tracks in single file. Wolves are good runners, and with their great stamina can keep up their loping style of running over long distances, managing speeds of up to 45km/h (28mph) in short bursts.

Skeleton
The skeleton of the wolf is well adapted to its lifestyle. The bones need to be strong, for power in bringing down large prey such as caribou or moose. The narrow collarbones, interlocked foreleg bones and specially adapted wrist-bones give the wolf streamlining, strength and speed.
The radius and ulna bones are "locked" in position. This inability to rotate the forelimbs gives superb stability when running.
The wrist bones of the wolf are fused together for extra strength. When closed, the toes are ruggged and strong. Splaying the toes allows the wolf to grip on to slippery, uneven and steep surfaces.

Insulation and protection
Soft, thick underfur keeps the wolf warm and dry, and long, coars, "guard" hairs keep snow and water out. Pale underparts, blotchy darker markings on the body, ears and tail, and colour to match habitat, give the wolf camoflage as it moves up on it's prey.