Dire wolves and grey wolves share some similarities, but they also have key differences. Dire wolves are an extinct species of the genus Canis, while grey wolves still exist today
. Recent DNA analysis indicates that dire wolves are not direct descendants of grey wolves, but distant relatives and ancestors of the canine species
. The distinctions between dire wolves and grey wolves include:
- Size Compared to the average grey wolf, full-size dire wolves are about 25% bigger
. A dire wolf could weigh up to 200 pounds
- Build Dire wolves had shorter, thicker legs, smaller feet, and a more compact, muscular body, while grey wolves have leaner frames built for distance and stamina
- Skull Dire wolves had larger, wider heads with massive jaws and reinforced cheekbones. Their snouts were broader, their teeth thicker, and their skulls were built to handle more pressure than those of grey wolves
. Skull length could reach up to 310 mm (12 in) or longer, with a broader palate, frontal region, and zygomatic arches compared with the Yukon wolf
- Bite Force Estimates put the bite force of dire wolves at over 1,300 newtons at the canines, which is stronger than that of any known canine. Their canine teeth were also more durable, able to withstand more bending without snapping
. All these differences indicate that the dire wolf was able to deliver stronger bites than the gray wolf, and with its flexible and more rounded canines was better adapted for struggling with its prey
- Teeth The upper dentition of dire wolves was the same as grey wolves, except that the dire wolf had larger dimensions, and the P4 had a relatively larger, more massive blade that enhanced slicing ability at the carnassial
. The lower premolars were relatively slightly larger than those of the gray wolf, and the dire wolf m1 was much larger and had more shearing ability
. Wear patterns on teeth show blunting, indicating that osteophagy was an increasingly frequent habit among dire wolves
