What does the prefix Canis mean?

The prefix "Canis" comes from Latin and means "dog". It's often used in scientific names of animals related to dogs, like:

* Canis lupus: the gray wolf

* Canis familiaris: the domestic dog

* Canis latrans: the coyote

So, whenever you see "Canis" in a scientific name, you know it's referring to a member of the dog family.