So it looks like wolves don’t just howl to make themselves heard to other wolves: they pick up and exchange communication cues just by looking at each other. Wow. Japanese researchers, who watched the interactions of canid species in zoos, concluded that those with eyes that were easier to see were more likely to be social.
From looking at gray wolves, fennec foxes, and bush dogs, they found that the wolves held their gazes much longer with twice as many distinct playful postures as the other two species. Even cooler: it appears that this expressiveness comes from the high contrast between the iris and the pupil. We have two words: BLUE STEEL.