What is the scientific name of the African wild dog?

The scientific name of the African wild dog is Lycaon pictus. It is a wild canine native to sub-Saharan Africa and the only living species in the genus Lycaon.

The species is also called the painted dog because every individual has a distinctive patchwork coat of black, brown, yellow, and white. Its scientific name reflects this appearance: pictus is Latin for “painted.” Coenraad Jacob Temminck formally described it in 1820.

African wild dogs are not wolves, jackals, or ordinary domestic-dog relatives in the genus Canis. Their specialized teeth, four-toed feet, and highly cooperative pack hunting distinguish them from those animals. They can exhaust much larger prey through coordinated pursuit.

The species is endangered because habitat fragmentation, persecution, road accidents, and diseases such as rabies reduce its populations. Conservation estimates suggest roughly 6,600 adults remain across fragmented African populations.