Wolves of any kind.

When I started the worldbuilding for Wolf At The Door, I had an vision/mental image of the Singaporean wolves. They are immigrants. They are descendants of the Chinese diaspora. Like their human counterparts, they have adapted to the Singaporean landscape.

The Lang, as they are called, do not have the physical characteristics of the timber wolf (Northern Hemisphere). They have shorter coats, are smaller in size and their coats are of a darker color. In visual terms, they look like a cross between the Tibetan Wolf and the Indian Wolf. Some of them might still bear resemblance to their bigger cousins/relatives. The ones from China might have thicker pelages and larger bodies.

Singapore is a hot and humid tropical island-country. The Lang adapt accordingly. So, their shorter coats ensure that they remain cool in a warm environment. Their smaller size enables them to slip through the humid forests without any problem. Their appetities remain carnivorous, though the younger generations of Lang are more inclined towards an omivorous diet. But, of course, when it comes to hunts and pack gatherings, meat is paramount. Like their Northern Hemisphere relatives (the Vargr), they are still essentially wolves.

However, I sometimes wonder: what makes a wolf a wolf? Is it the genus? Is it physical characteristics? Do wolves have to look like wolves to be wolves?