Canopus III

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.

Canopus III is a planet which is located in the Canopus system, in or near Federation space, several light years from the planet Lactra VII. It is known for its desert-like terrain, which is home to a type of large dinosaur. James T. Kirk visited Canopus III some time during or prior to the 2260s.

In 2269, the crew of the USS Enterprise encountered a dinosaur in a desert environment on Lactra VII, that was very much like the dinosaurs native Canopus III. Despite initially hypothesizing that similar environments prompt similar evolution in species, it was later determined that the beast was, in fact, transplanted to the planet by the Lactrans, who terraformed the desert terrain for the beast as part of their zoo exhibit. (TAS: "The Eye of the Beholder")

[edit] Background

Canopus III was mentioned as a small note on a very large star chart graphic created for TNG: "Conspiracy". It was the image behind the chair in the room where Dexter Remmick was killed. It appears to be located within an outlined block, which may indicate that it was surrounded or was even a part of Federation territory at the time. Oddly enough, Canopus III appeared several blocks away from its star, Alpha Carinae.