Canis tegamenta volans

More about Canis tegamenta volans

Species name: Canis tegamenta volans
Common name: Fold-winged Dachshund
Scientific note:
A masterpiece of aerodynamics—at least within the limits of what zoological physics allows at low ground level. Canis tegamenta volans, also known as the Fold-winged Dachshund, is one of the rarest subspecies of the domestic dachshund, equipped with lateral skin flaps that unfold into amazingly gliding sails when certain body contortions occur.
This creature's flight—or rather, its controlled descent—preferably occurs from park benches, stairwells, or medium-height sausage stands. With a light tailwind, a maximum horizontal glide distance of up to 4.2 meters has been measured—with a target corridor that usually points directly to the nearest source of meat. This remarkable accuracy has led some researchers to suspect an olfactory-guided navigational performance, controlled by the so-called nasal propeller module (a hypersensitive olfactory organ with a surprising thermal response).
Landings are often uncontrolled, usually due to accidental collisions with vertical objects. C. tegamenta volans reflexively rolls itself up, leading to its common confusion with flying shopping bags – especially in urban environments with high wind loads. Its silent glides, combined with the flapping sound of its ears, earned it the nickname "Bag Ghost of Tempelhof" in some regions.
Despite its clumsy appearance, the Fold-Winged Dachshund is a prime example of evolutionary creativity in the tension between working dog and aircraft. Scientists are still debating whether this is a mutation or the deliberate result of overfed hobby breeding. Only one thing is certain: It rarely flies – but when it does, it's directly into the heart of the bratwurst.