"Vulpes bengalensis" is a relatively small fox with an elongated muzzle, long, pointed ears, and a bushy tail about 50 to 60% of the length of the head and body. Its dorsal pelage is very variable, but mostly grayish and paler ventrally; its legs tend to be brownish or rufous. It is more daintily built than "Vulpes vulpes". The tail is bushy with a prominent black tip which distinguishes it from "V. vulpes". Back of ears are dark brown with black margin. Its rhinarium is naked and the lips are black, with small black hair patches on upper part of nuzzle (shaft) in front of eyes.
Appearance
Bengal fox
Bengal fox | Appearance
It is a relatively small fox with an elongated muzzle, long, pointed ears, and a bushy tail about 50 to 60% of the length of the head and body. It is a relatively small fox with an elongated muzzle, long, pointed ears, and a bushy tail about 50 to 60% of the length of the head and body. Its dorsal pelage is very variable, but mostly grayish and paler ventrally; its legs tend to be brownish or rufous. They are relatively small with an elongated muzzle, long, pointed ears, and a bushy tail about 50 to 60% of the length of the head and body. Its dorsal pelage is very variable, but mostly grayish and paler ventrally; its legs tend to be brownish or rufous. It is a relatively small fox with an elongated muzzle, long, pointed ears, and a bushy tail about 50 to 60% of the length of the head and body
how long does a red fox live in the wild
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In the wild they typically do not survive past 5 years of age.
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what is red fox?
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It is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora.
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where did it originate?
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The species is Eurasian in origin.
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how did it evolve?
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It is considered a more specialised form of "Vulpes" than the Afghan, corsac and Bengal foxes in the direction of size and adaptation to carnivory.
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what is the appearance of this third type of fox?
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"Vulpes bengalensis" is a relatively small fox with an elongated muzzle, long, pointed ears, and a bushy tail about 50 to 60% of the length of the head and body. Its dorsal pelage is very variable, but mostly grayish and paler ventrally; its legs tend to be brownish or rufous. It is more daintily built than "Vulpes vulpes". The tail is bushy with a prominent black tip which distinguishes it from "V. vulpes". Back of ears are dark brown with black margin. Its rhinarium is naked and the lips are black, with small black hair patches on upper part of nuzzle (shaft) in front of eyes.
Bengal fox | Appearance
The red fox is considered a more specialised form of "Vulpes" than the Afghan, corsac and Bengal foxes in the direction of size and adaptation to carnivory; the skull displays far fewer neotenous traits than in other species, and its facial area is more developed. It is, however, not as adapted for a purely carnivorous diet as the Tibetan fox.
Red fox | Evolution
The ears have the same colour as the nape or maybe darker, but not having a dark patch as in "V. vulpes". Extensive variation in coat colour exists across populations and seasonally within populations, but generally varies from grey to pale brown. The head and body length is , with a long tail. Typical weight is . The genus "Vulpes" can be separated from "Canis" and "Cuon" in the Indian region by the flat forehead between the postorbital processes and not inflated by air cells. The processes themselves are slightly concave with a raised anterior edge (convexly round in other canids).
Bengal fox | Appearance
The Bengal fox ("Vulpes bengalensis"), also known as the Indian fox, is a fox endemic to the Indian subcontinent from the Himalayan foothills and Terai of Nepal through southern India, and from southern and eastern Pakistan to eastern India and southeastern Bangladesh.
Bengal fox | Introduction
The canine teeth are longer.
Bengal fox | Appearance
The Bengal fox is distributed throughout much of the Indian subcontinent with the exception of the wet forests and the extreme arid zone. Its range is bounded by the Himalayas and the Indus River valley. Its preferred habitat is short open grassland, scrub or thorn forest. It appears to avoid steep terrain and tall grassland. It was considered to be a habitat generalist, but it shows a strong preference for semiarid, short grassland habitats at multiple scales.
Bengal fox | Distribution and habitat
Bengal foxes are mainly crepuscular in their habits. During the heat of the day, they hide under vegetation or in subterranean dens that they dig. The dens are large and complex with multiple chambers and escape routes. They are sometimes seen basking at a vantage point around sunrise or sunset. In captivity, the lifespan is about 6 to 8 years.
Bengal fox | Behaviour and ecology
The corsac fox is one species within a holarctic clade of foxes that also includes the red fox, the swift fox and the Arctic fox, all of which it resembles. However, the closest related species to the corsac fox is probably the Tibetan sand fox. The immediate ancestor of the corsac fox is believed to be the extinct species "Vulpes praecorsac", which lived in central Europe during the early Pleistocene. Fossils of corsac foxes date back to the mid-Pleistocene, and show the species once reached as far west as Switzerland, and as far south as Crimea.
Corsac fox | Evolution
There are three main colour morphs; red, silver/black and cross (see "Mutations"). In the typical red morph, their coats are generally bright reddish-rusty with yellowish tints. A stripe of weak, diffuse patterns of many brown-reddish-chestnut hairs occurs along the spine. Two additional stripes pass down the shoulder blades, which, together with the spinal stripe, form a cross. The lower back is often a mottled silvery colour. The flanks are lighter coloured than the back, while the chin, lower lips, throat and front of the chest are white. The remaining lower surface of the body is dark, brown or reddish. During lactation, the belly fur of vixens may turn brick red.
Red fox | Fur
It has large eyes, simple ears, and no facial ornamentation—a typical appearance for a species of the genus "Pteropus". The skull is oval-shaped and the greatest length of the skull is . The orbital rim of the skull is incomplete. The ears lack a tragus or antitragus and are ringed, and the ears range in length from in length. The dental formula is . The first upper premolar is absent, the canine is pronounced, and the molars have a longitudinal furrow.
Indian flying fox | Description
Like the Turkmenian fox, the white-footed fox has a primitive, infantile skull compared to those of its northern cousins. It is smaller than the Afghan red and hill foxes, and never exhibits a red phase in its winter coat, nor the silvery, hoary phase of the Afghan red fox. It closely resembles the unrelated Bengal fox in size, but is distinguished by its longer tail and hind feet. As adults, their pelts are easily distinguished from other subspecies by the presence of a very distinct pale patch on each sides of the back behind the shoulders, which is overlapped by a dark, transverse stripe over the shoulders in front of the light patches.
White-footed fox | Description
The white-footed fox ("Vulpes vulpes pusilla"), also known as the desert fox, is a small, Asiatic subspecies of red fox which occurs throughout most of northwestern Indian subcontinent, Pakistan's desert districts from Rawalpindi to Rajasthan and Kutch in India, Baluchistan, southern Iran, and Iraq. It is mostly found on sand-hills or in the broad sandy beds of semi-dry rivers, and only very rarely in fields, and then in the vicinity of sandy tracts.
White-footed fox | Introduction
The Turkmenian fox ("Vulpes vulpes flavescens"), also known as the Persian fox, is an Asiatic subspecies of red fox distinguished by its very small size and primitive cranial features. It inhabits the Middle Asian plains, approximately south of latitude of Ustyurt and the Aral Sea, as well as contiguous parts of Iran and Afghanistan.
Turkmenian fox | Introduction
The ancestral Arctic fox Vulpes qiuzhudingi is an extinct species of fox found in the Himalayas. It was primarily carnivorous. The fossils, dating from between 5.08 and 3.60 million years ago, were found in the Zanda Basin and Kunlun Mountains of Tibet. It was named after Qiu Zhuding, a paleontologist from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The species is believed to be the ancestor of "Vulpes lagopus", the modern Arctic fox, which would support the "Out of Tibet" theory: namely, that a number of current arctic species trace their ancestry to species originally from the Tibetan Plateau.
Vulpes qiuzhudingi | Introduction
A dark grey, reddish-brown or blackish-brown band is present in front of the eyes. The outer surface of the ears are either pure black or brownish-black. A cross-like figure is formed by overlapping yellow or brownish tones on the upper neck, back and shoulders. The flanks are usually grey, and are typically more brightly coloured than the back. The throat, chest and belly are whitish or grey. The feet are grey with dark stripes. It is not overly exploited by the fur trade, its fur being ten times cheaper than that of northern foxes.
Turkmenian fox | Physical description
"Vulpes" has a very similar bone structure to its canid relatives, but does have some modifications. Although canid limbs are designed specifically for running quickly on land to catch prey, "Vulpes" species avoid rapid sprints, excluding being chased, and have become more specialized for leaping and grasping prey. The adaptions for leaping, grasping, and climbing include the lengthening of hind limbs in relation to fore limbs, as well as overall slenderizing of both hind and fore limbs. Muscles are also emphasized along the axis of limbs. Foxes of this group (including the fennec and Arctic foxes) possess eyes with pupils that retract into vertical slits in bright light.
Vulpes | Anatomy
Vulpavus ("fox grandfather") is an extinct genus of Miacidae. It measured 60–90 cm in length and had an estimated weight over 1.19 kg (in "V. palustris").
Vulpavus | Introduction
Adult specimens of "Heterometrus bengalensis" grow to a length of 95 to 115 millimeters and a dark reddish-brown to light-brown body color. The combs of the pecten organ have 14 to 17 teeth in both sexes. The chela, femora, and patella of the pedipalps are narrower and longer in the males than in the females. The surfaces of the chelae are uneven, but without pronounced granules and keels. The telson is hairy and spherical, with a poison bladder that is longer than the stinger.
Heterometrus bengalensis | Description
The gray fox displays white on the ears, throat, chest, belly and hind legs. In contrast to all "Vulpes" and related (Arctic and fennec) foxes, the gray fox has oval (instead of slit-like) pupils. The dental formula of the "U. cinereoargenteus" is = 42.
Gray fox | Description
The red fox has an elongated body and relatively short limbs. The tail, which is longer than half the body length (70 per cent of head and body length), is fluffy and reaches the ground when in a standing position. Their pupils are oval and vertically oriented. Nictitating membranes are present, but move only when the eyes are closed. The forepaws have five digits, while the hind feet have only four and lack dewclaws. They are very agile, being capable of jumping over fences, and swim well. Vixens normally have four pairs of teats, though vixens with seven, nine, or ten teats are not uncommon.
Red fox | Build
ramspotti" become known as the western foxsnake. Thus, "P. vulpinus" is sometimes called the western foxsnake and sometimes called the eastern foxsnake.
Pantherophis vulpinus | Taxonomy
Its cranial region is shorter than that of hill foxes, and the zygomatic arches narrower. Its jaws are also much narrower, and the forehead concave. Its canine teeth are also much longer than those of hill foxes.
Tibetan fox | Characteristics
In physical conformation, cross foxes are identical to red foxes, though according to Teancum's "Mammals of Utah" (1922), they may be slightly larger with a bushier tail and with more wool under the feet. The cross fox derives its name from the vertical dark band running down the back, which is intersected with another horizontal band across the shoulders. The back and sides are yellowish rufous, which is more vivid on the flanks and the sides of the neck. Excepting the muzzle, the upper part of the head, the hind quarters and the outsides of the shoulders and thighs have dusky brown underfur and black outerfur.
Cross fox | Description
n. hilli" is smaller than "P. n. neohibernicus". The color of its fur is variable, though often golden brown, with the fur of its back usually sparse or absent. The back fur that is present is russet brown, though may be dark or pale brown. The russet brown fur is interspersed with a variable sprinkling of buff-colored (brownish yellow) hairs. Its fur is typically darkest on the sides of its back and rump, as well as on the upper side of its thighs. Fur is lightest in color at the center of its back and rump. It has a mantle, or fur of contrasting color on the sides and back of its neck.
Great flying fox | Description
The Trans-Caucasian fox ("Vulpes vulpes kurdistanica") is a subspecies of the red fox, found in northeast part of Turkey. The Turkish government recognizes the subspecies as "Vulpes vulpes" for nationalistic reasons.
Trans-Caucasian fox | Introduction
The forearm of the holotype was long. The fur of its back is uniformly brownish, with the fur of its neck and face lighter.
Rennell flying fox | Description
The upper parts of the limbs are rusty reddish, while the paws are black. The frontal part of the face and upper neck is bright brownish-rusty red, while the upper lips are white. The backs of the ears are black or brownish-reddish, while the inner surface is whitish. The top of the tail is brownish-reddish, but lighter in colour than the back and flanks. The underside of the tail is pale grey with a straw-coloured tint. A black spot, the location of the supracaudal gland, is usually present at the base of the tail. The tip of the tail is white.
Red fox | Fur
Whiskers (carpal vibrissae) are also on the forelimbs and average long, pointing downward and backward. Other physical characteristics vary according to habitat and adaptive significance.
Fox | General morphology
Lack of habitat protection is perhaps the greatest threat to the Indian fox. For example, in southern India, less than 2% of potential Indian fox habitat is covered under the existing protected area network of the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh . Hunting for its skin and flesh, as well as conversion of its grassland habitat to agriculture, industry, and increasingly bio-fuel plantations, have affected its population density. In addition, its body parts are used in traditional medicine, and in some areas it is eaten. They are hunted by the "narikuruva" tribes of southern India. In Karnataka, they are captured in rituals conducted during Sankranthi.
Bengal fox | Threats
The Bengal fox feeds on rodents, reptiles, crabs, termites, insects, small birds, and fruits. Scats of young pups appeared to show that they fed mainly on rodents but are opportunistic feeders.
Bengal fox | Diet
The Sechuran fox is small for a canid, weighing , with a head-and-body length of and a tail of . Its fur is gray agouti over most of the body, fading to white or cream coloured on the underparts. There are reddish-brown markings on the backs of the ears, around the eyes, and on the legs. The muzzle is dark grey, and a grey band runs across the chest. Its tail is tipped with black. It has small teeth, adapted to feed on insects and dry plants, with fox-like canine teeth. The chromosome number is 2n=74.
Sechuran fox | Description
The species is Eurasian in origin, and may have evolved from either "Vulpes alopecoides" or the related Chinese "V. chikushanensis", both of which lived during the Middle Villafranchian. The earliest fossil specimens of "V. vulpes" were uncovered in Baranya, Hungary dating from 3.4-1.8 million years ago. The ancestral species was likely smaller than the current one, as the earliest red fox fossils are smaller than modern populations. The earliest fossil remains of the modern species date back to the mid-Pleistocene in association with the refuse of early human settlements. This has led to the theory that the red fox was hunted by primitive humans as both a source of food and pelts.
Red fox | Origins
The Bengal fox forms pair bonds that may last a lifetime, but extra-pair copulations are known to occur. Throughout most of its range, the mating season starts in autumn (usually October–November) and after a gestation period around 50–60 days, two to four pups are born in a den. Both parents participate in pup-rearing. The pups are fully weaned about 3–4 months after emerging from the den. Pup mortality is high during the first few months. Pups may sometimes be nursed by multiple females. During the day, they tend to rest under shrubs and bushes, except in summer when they rest in dens.
Bengal fox | Reproduction
The pampas fox resembles the culpeo or Andean fox in appearance and size, but has a proportionately wider snout, reddish fur on the head and neck, and a black mark on the muzzle. Its short, dense fur is grey over most of the body, with a black line running down the back and onto the tail, and pale, almost white, underparts. The ears are triangular, broad, and relatively large, and are reddish on the outer surface and white on the inner surface. The inner surfaces of the legs are similar in color to the underparts, while the outer surface is reddish on the fore limbs, and grey on the hind limbs; the lower hind limb also bears a distinctive black spot.
Pampas fox | Description
The Indian flying fox is India's largest bat, and one of the largest bats in the world, weighing up to . Its body mass ranges from , and males are generally larger than females. The wingspan ranges from and body length averages . The wings rise from the side of the dorsum and from the back of the second toe, and its thumb has a powerful claw. It has claws on only its first two digits of its wings, with the thumb possessing the more powerful claw, and all five digits of its leg. It lacks a tail. The Indian flying fox ranges in color, with a black back that is lightly streaked with grey, a pale, yellow-brown mantle, a brown head, and dark, brownish underparts.
Indian flying fox | Description
Foxes make a wide range of vocalizations. A chattering cry is the most common call. They also growl, whine, whimper, and bark. The Bengal fox does not appear to have latrine behaviour, a feature seen in some social canids, in which all members defecate at specific spots. They can be heard howling in the night in groups.
Bengal fox | Communication
Blanford's fox ("Vulpes cana") is a small fox native to the Middle East and Central Asia.
Blanford's fox | Introduction
Andersen wrote that it was "scarcely distinguishable" from the Indian flying fox based on its skull morphology, dentition, and external characters. He distinguished it as a new species based by the color of its breast and belly, which he described as seal brown. Its forearm is approximately long.
Andersen's flying fox | Description
The Tibetan fox ("Vulpes ferrilata"), also known as Tibetan sand fox, is a species of true fox endemic to the high Tibetan Plateau, Ladakh plateau, Nepal, China, Sikkim, and Bhutan, up to altitudes of about . It is listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List, on account of its widespread range in the Tibetan Plateau's steppes and semi-deserts.
Tibetan fox | Introduction
The fur in the inside of the ears was long and white. The fur of the muzzle was short and white, as with the legs, though it became longer and thicker at the feet. Black patches were present around the eyes. Like the wolves with which it was sympatric, it had long hair between its toes, which projected over the soles, with naked, callous protuberances being present at the root of the toes and soles, even in winter. In size, it was intermediate to the coyote and the American red fox.
Hare Indian Dog | Appearance
Between about 1990 and 2011, foxsnakes were sometimes divided into two species, with "P. vulpinus" as the western foxsnake, and "P. gloydi" as the eastern foxsnake. A 2011 paper by Crother, White, Savage, Eckstut, Graham, Gardner proposed instead that the Mississippi River be established as the species boundary between two species of foxsnakes, and that those found to its east be considered "P. vulpinus" (including those previously known as "P. gloydi" ) and those found to its west be given the new name "P. ramspotti". This proposed that "P. vulpinus", which had been known as the western foxsnake, become known as the eastern foxsnake, and the new "P.
Pantherophis vulpinus | Taxonomy
According to hunters' accounts, they have less vigor and endurance in the chase compared to the European variant. Some authorities still give it full species status as "Vulpes fulva". It is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, occurring in North America. It is listed as least concern by the IUCN.
American red fox | Introduction
Between about 1990 and 2011, foxsnakes were sometimes divided into two species, with "P. gloydi" as the eastern foxsnake and "P. vulpinus" as the western foxsnake. A 2011 paper by Crother, White, Savage, Eckstut, Graham and Gardner proposed instead that the Mississippi River be established as the species boundary between two species of foxsnakes, and that those found to its east be considered "P. vulpinus" (including those previously known as "P. gloydi") and those found to its west be given the new name "P. ramspotti".
Pantherophis gloydi | Speciation
Also according to Yahnke (1995; et al.1996) the present restricted range is a relic of a much wider former range. Zoologists noted the distinctiveness in the ecological niche, appearance, and behavior of this species. Darwin's fox is differentiated from the gray fox in being darker; having shorter legs; a broader, shorter skull; smaller auditory bullae; a more robust dentition; and a different jaw shape and style of premolar occlusion. In the late Pleistocene, Chiloé Island was connected to mainland Chile by a land bridge. The land bridge was severed about 15,000 years ago when the sea level rose following the last glaciation.
Darwin's fox | Taxonomy and evolution
vetulus", whereas, Indian subspecies "S. priam priam" evolved from the "S. johnii", which results the genetic variations between two "S. priam" subspecies.
Tufted gray langur | Evolution
The Corsac fox is a medium-sized fox, with a head and body length of , and a tail long. Adults weigh from . It has grey to yellowish fur over much of the body, with paler underparts and pale markings on the mouth, chin, and throat. During the winter, the coat becomes much thicker and silkier in texture, and is straw-grey in colour, with a darker line running down the back. For a fox, it has small teeth and a wide skull. One source claims that this species can climb trees and has been domesticated in the past. It is reported to have keen eyesight and hearing and an acute sense of smell.
Corsac fox | Description
The arctic fox ("Vulpes lagopus") and the stoat ("Mustela erminea") the fur goes from white and dense in the winter to brown and sparse in the summer. In pinnipeds, polar bears, and sea otters have a thick insulating layer of blubber to help maintain their body temperature.
Carnivora | Postcranial region
The Tibetan fox is small and compact, with soft, dense coats and conspicuously narrow muzzles and bushy tails. Its muzzle, crown, neck, back and lower legs are tan to rufous coloured, while its cheeks, flanks, upper legs and rumps are grey. Its tail has white tips. The short ears are tan to greyish tan on the back, while the insides and undersides are white. Adult Tibetan foxes are , not including tail, and have tail lengths of . Weights of adults are usually . Among the true foxes, its skull is the most specialised in the direction of carnivory (and looks nothing like the picture in the species box above); it is longer in the condylobasal length and in mandible and cheek tooth length than those of hill foxes.
Tibetan fox | Characteristics
Many of the descendant foxes became both tamer and more dog-like in morphology, including displaying mottled or spotted coloured fur.
Dmitry Belyayev (zoologist) | Fox experiment
Its color ranges from yellow to gray, and the back is usually darker than the majority of its coat; its belly and inner ears are usually lighter. It has distinct dark patches around the nose.
Kit fox | Appearance
It surrounds the whole body even to the tail, where it is a little coarser and woollier. The fur is shortest on the forehead and limbs, and is finer on the fox's underbelly. When viewed individually, the hairs composing the belly fur exhibit a wavy appearance. There are scarcely any long hairs on the ears, which are thickly clothed with fur. The soles of the feet are so thickly covered with woolly hair that no callous spots are visible. Silver foxes tend to be more cautious than red foxes. When bred with another member of the same colour morph, silver foxes will produce silver-coated offspring, with little variation in this trend after the third generation.
Silver fox (animal) | Description
Many of the descendant foxes became both tamer and more dog-like in morphology, including displaying mottled or spotted coloured fur. Today, the experiment is under the supervision of Lyudmila Trut.
Lyudmila Trut | Research
Vulpes skinneri is a species of extinct fox in the genus "Vulpes" of the early Pleistocene, identified based on fossil remains dated to about 2 million years ago. The species is known from a single partial skeleton discovered in the Malapa Fossil Site at the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site in South Africa and is associated with the fossil hominin remains of "Australopithecus sediba". The fossils have been dated to between 1.977 and 1.980 million years ago. Hartstone-Rose and colleagues described the remains as a newly discovered species of fox, which they named "skinneri" after the African mammalogist John Skinner.
Vulpes skinneri | Introduction
The red fox is a species part of the fox family, which is located in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Its body length is usually approximately 90-105 cm (35-41 inch) long, 30-40 cm (12-16 inch) of its body length being its tail, and is a height of 40 cm (16 inch). Many adult red foxes weigh 5-7 kg (11-15 pounds) and can reach up to 14 kg (31 pounds). The physical characteristics of the red fox have a soft thin undercoat and long hairs that consists of orange, red, brown shades. The red fox has black ears and legs, with white on the tip of its tail and on its chest.
Mesocarnivore | Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)
The colour on the back varies from brownish yellow to rusty red with slight admixture of white, while the flanks are whitish or greyish. The outer surface of the limbs are iron-grey or rufous, while the inner side of the forelegs and the whole front of the hind legs are white. The face is rufous, with dark markings around the eyes. The underparts are slaty in hue. The chin and the centre of the chest is white. The ear-tips are black or dark brown and paler at the base, lined with whitish hairs. The tail is almost the same colour as the back, but is less rufous on the sides and beneath.
White-footed fox | Description
It was described as a new species by Dutch zoologist and museum curator Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1825 who gave it the scientific name "Pteropus medius". Confusion over the name has prevailed in the literature as in 1782 Danish zoologist Morten Thrane Brünnich, gave the scientific name "Vespertilio gigantea" as a replacement for "Vespertilio vampyrus" Linnaeus (1758: 31) He was specifically referring to Linnaeus's use of "Vespertillo vampyrus". Carl Linnaeus had previously classified the species as "Pteropus vampyrus" and as such "gigantea" could not be used for a species that was already named. In 1992 Corbett and Hill suggested "giganteus" was a sub-species of "vampyrus".
Indian flying fox | Taxonomy and phylogeny
The hoary fox has a short muzzle, small teeth, a short coat, and slender limbs. The upper part of the body is grey, and the underside of the body is cream or fawn. The tail is black on the tip with a marked dark stripe along the upper surface, which in male animals may extend all the way along the back to the nape of the neck. The ears and outside part of the legs are reddish or tawny, and the lower jaw is black. Some melanistic individuals have also been reported. It is small for a fox, weighing only , with a head and body length of , and a tail .
Hoary fox | Description
The Nicobar flying fox ("Pteropus faunulus") is a species of flying fox in the family Pteropodidae. It is endemic to India. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical swamps. It is threatened by habitat loss due to forest clearing.
Nicobar flying fox | Introduction
Though this varies in intensity from species to species, foxes operate within a hierarchical society, where dominance is established early in life. Dominant kits receive more food and are subsequently larger. If a dispute in the hierarchy occurs, dominance is determined by fighting. The loser may be subjected to rejection from its social group, as well as serious injuries. These social groups usually consist of three or four adults and have not been documented to surpass 10 adults. "Vulpes" species are usually nocturnal, but do occasionally hunt and scavenge in daylight during winter.
Vulpes | General overview
Their burrows are made at the base of boulders, at old beach lines and low slopes. Dens may have four entrances, with entrances being 25–35 cm in diameter.
Tibetan fox | Behaviour and ecology
culpaeus" and "L. griseus") that occur on the mainland. Later, Darwin's fox was classified as a subspecies ("Lycalopex griseus fulvipes") of the latter. Darwin's fox does not interbreed with the other "Lycalopex" species, only lives in forests, and is smaller and darker-colored than the other species. In 1990 a small population of Darwin's fox was found on the mainland in the forested Nahuelbuta National Park, indicating that the fox was not endemic to the island. According to Yahnke et al., in their 1996 article published in the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology, analysis of mitochondrial DNA of Darwin's fox and the gray fox showed two patterns, indicating Darwin's fox was a new species, closely related to the Sechuran fox.
Darwin's fox | Taxonomy and evolution
The type specimen is therefore presumed lost. A second specimen collected by Jerdon was obtained by Strickland and is now in the collection of the Cambridge University. This specimen was examined by Strickland who used the new genus and combination, "Rhinoptilus bitorquatus". The label written by Alfred Newton notes the location as "Madras" and date as 1846. During this period Jerdon is thought to have received specimens from near Nellore or Cuddapah. A third specimen in Jerdon's collection was acquired by Thomas Campbell Eyton and then to Henry Baker Tristram, and the specimen is now at National Museums Liverpool. Several other specimens exist in collections but a neotype, replacement for the type specimen, has not been suggested.
Jerdon's courser | Taxonomy
Type locality: from "vicinity of Darjiling" (= Darjeeling, 27° 02'N; 88° 16'E; West Bengal State, eastern India). Known only from the type locality. Named after "vittacaudatus" = Latin for striped tail.
Coluber vittacaudatus | Distribution
The cross fox is a partially melanistic colour variant of the red fox ("Vulpes vulpes") which has a long dark stripe running down its back, intersecting another stripe to form a cross over the shoulders. It tends to be more abundant in northern regions of Canada, and is rarer than the common red form, but is more common than the even darker silver fox.
Cross fox | Introduction
The pale fox ("Vulpes pallida") is a species of fox found in the band of African Sahel from Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east. It is one of the least studied of all canid species, in part due to its remote habitat and its sandy coat that blends in well with the desert-like terrain.
Pale fox | Introduction
This small, doglike animal is rusty-red with white underparts, chin and throat. The ears are prominent and the tail is long and bushy with a white tip. Backs of the ears, lower legs and the feet are black. The fox goes through color phases of black, silver, and mixed. This fox subspecies ranges 58 – 90 cm (23 - 35 inches) in length without its tail. Tail ranges 32 – 49 cm (12.5 - 19.5 inches). Weight approximately 3 – 11 kg (6.5 - 24 lbs). Life Expectancy seven years (in the wild) 15 years (in captivity)
Trans-Caucasian fox | Description
vampyrus," not "P. giganteus"; In negating Brünnich's name, Mlíkovský states that the oldest applicable name used to describe the Indian flying fox comes from Coenraad Jacob Temminck's publication in 1825. Mlíkovský's recommendation has been met with varying degrees of acceptance. Some authors who have published on the Indian flying fox since 2012 have accepted this taxonomic revision, using the name "Pteropus medius". Other taxonomic authorities, however, such as the Integrated Taxonomic Information System, still recognize "Pteropus giganteus" as the valid name of the Indian flying fox. It is most closely related to the grey-headed flying fox, "P. poliocephalus". As the genus "Pteropus" is divided into closely related species groups, the Indian flying fox is placed in the "vampyrus" species group, which also includes the Bonin, Ryukyu, little golden-mantled, Rodrigues, large, Lyle's, Aldabra, Madagascan, Seychelles, and Mauritian flying foxes.
Indian flying fox | Taxonomy and phylogeny
Another major threat is disease such as canine distemper virus and rabies, which spills over from the large unvaccinated populations of free-ranging dogs found throughout their range.
Bengal fox | Threats
The two females in the type series measure in snout–vent length. The head is wide, flattened, and with a snout that is blunt in profile. The eyes are protruding; the upper eyelid is glandular. The back, deep metallic yellow in colour, is smooth but has many rounded, glandular warts that extend on to the limbs and are of striking reddish-brown colour. The limbs are partly yellow, partly pinkish. The finger and toe tips are large and expanded.
Churamiti | Description
The coat is short and thick. Coloration varies from grey to brown, to yellowish, to pale, to dark grey. There is a black streak along the back legs, with a black stripe along the spine. On muzzle, ears and paws there is more-reddish fur. The tail, legs and ear tips are black. The ears are wide and round. The torso is somewhat narrow; legs are short but strong. The dense hairy tail stays upright when they are excited.
Crab-eating fox | Appearance
They are born blind, and open their eyes at around two weeks of age; they begin to eat meat at four weeks, and emerge from the den shortly after. Corsac foxes reach sexual maturity within 9 to 10 months and reproduce in the second year of life. They live up to 9 years in the wild.
Corsac fox | Reproduction
It was described as a new species in 1825 by Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck. Temminck acquired the specimens used for his description from Dutch businessman Jan Cock Blomhoff Its species name ""dasymallus"" is likely ; Temminck described its fur as long and woolly. The five subspecies are: The subspecies are based on populations that occur on different islands.
Ryukyu flying fox | Taxonomy and etymology
The mantle is usually yellowish, with the top of the head darker than the mantle. The fur of its mantle and belly is longer than the fur of its back, at compared to . The darker brown color on the top of its head often extends down the sides of the head and between the eyes, sometimes resembling an indistinct "T"-shape.
Great flying fox | Description
It is similar in appearance to the small flying fox, though it is smaller. It is further distinguished by its much smaller ears and the fact that its chest and abdomen are the same color. The top of its head is pale gray, while the back of its neck is a reddish-brown. Its dorsal fur is brown, with some white hairs interspersed. The head and body length is approximately ; its forearm length is ; its ear length is .
Admiralty flying fox | Description
Its name comes from this species' name in Arabic: "fanak" ().
Fennec fox | Introduction
The size of a small deer, "J. naida" probably looked somewhat like a skinny hippopotamus out-crossed with a long-legged pig. Fossilized jawbones contain a number of mental foramina, eight on each side of the jaw, indicating that the species had very sensitive lips and a mobile snout.
Jaggermeryx | Description
Indian elephant "(Elephas maximus indicus)", blackbuck "(Antilope cervicapra)", Asian palm civet "(Paradoxurus hermaphroditus)", small Indian civet "(Viverricula indica)", Madras treeshrew "(Anathana ellioti)", common grey mongoose "(Herpestes edwardsii)", sambar deer "(Rusa unicolor)", Indian crested porcupine "(Hystrix indica)", Indian bison "(Bos gaurus)", wild boar "(Sus scrofa)", common muntjac "(Muntiacus muntjak)", Indian leopard "(Panthera pardus fusca)", Bengal tiger "(Panthera tigris tigris)", dhole "(Cuon alpinus)", golden jackal "(Canis aureus)", Indian giant squirrel "(Ratufa indica)", Indian hare "(Lepus nigricollis)", Asian house shrew "(Suncus murinus)", tufted grey langur "(Semnopithecus priam)", Indian flying fox "(Pteropus giganteus)", bonnet macaque "(Macaca radiata)", rhesus macaque "(Macaca mulatta)", Bengal fox "(Vulpes bengalensis)", smooth-coated otter "(Lutrogale perspicillata)", jungle cat "(Felis chaus)", cheetal "(Axis axis)", Nilgai, Indian boar, striped hyena, "(Hyaena hyaena)", Indian Wolf, Indian mole-rat "(Bandicota bengalensis)"
Eastern Ghats | Mammals
Hyenas are dog-like feliforms that have sloping backs due to their front legs being longer than their hindlegs. The raccoon family as well as the red panda are small, bear-like carnivorans with long tails. The other small carnivoran families Nandiniidae, Prionodontidae, Viverridae, Herpestidae, Eupleridae, Mephitidae and Mustelidae have through convergent evolution maintained the small, ancestral appearance of the miacoids, though there is some variation seen such as the robust and stout physicality of badgers and the wolverine ("Gulo gulo"). Male carnivorans usually have bacula, though they are absent in hyenas and binturongs. Depending on the environment the species is, the length and density of their fur varies.
Carnivora | Postcranial region
Vulpes riffautae is an extinct species of fox from the late Miocene of Chad (approximately 7 ma). Fossils of "V. riffautae" potentially represent the earliest record of the dog family, Canidae, in the Old World. "V. riffautae" was intermediate in size between Rüppell's fox ("Vulpes rueppellii") and the fennec fox ("V. zerda").
Vulpes riffautae | Introduction
The Indian flying fox is found across the Indian Subcontinent, including in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Tibet, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It roosts in large, established colonies on open tree branches, especially in urban areas or in temples. It prefers to roost on tall trees with small diameters, especially canopy trees, and prefers to be in close proximity to bodies of water, human residences, and agricultural land. This habitat selection is highly dependent on food availability. For example, many residences within the bat's distribution have outdoor gardens that support its generalist frugivorous feeding habits. This tendency to support a generalist frugivorous diet through habitat selection also leads it to commonly roost in highly fragmented forests, where the variety of plant species allows it to better utilize its feeding habits.
Indian flying fox | Distribution and habitat
"Pantherophis vulpinus" is found in the upper midwestern United States east of the Mississippi river. The geographic range of the closely related western foxsnake "(Pantherophis ramspotti)" is west of the Mississippi river. The two species do not overlap and there is no intergrade zone.
Pantherophis vulpinus | Geographic range
"Canis (zerda)" was the scientific name proposed by Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1780. It was placed in the genus "Vulpes" by Karl Christian Gmelin in 1788. The scientific name "Fennecus arabicus" was proposed by Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest in 1804. The fennec foy has 32 chromosome pairs, while other fox species have between 35 and 39. The species also displays behaviors uncharacteristic of foxes, such as living in packs while most other fox species are solitary. Its phylogenetic relationship is presented in the cladogram below.
Fennec fox | Taxonomy
Many of the descendant foxes became both tamer and more dog-like in morphology, including displaying mottled or spotted coloured fur.
Domesticated silver fox | Introduction
The origins of the Arctic fox have been described by the “out of Tibet” hypothesis. On the Tibetan Plateau, fossils of the extinct ancestral Arctic fox ("Vulpes qiuzhudingi") from the early Pliocene (5.08–3.6 MYA) were found along with many other precursors of modern mammals that evolved during the Pliocene (5.3–2.6 MYA). It is believed that this ancient fox is the ancestor of the modern Arctic fox. Globally, the Pliocene was about 2–3 °C warmer than today, and the Arctic during the summer in the mid-Pliocene was 8 °C warmer. By using stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis of fossils, researchers claim that the Tibetan Plateau experienced tundra-like conditions during the Pliocene and harbored cold-adapted mammals that later spread to North America and Eurasia during the Pleistocene Epoch (2.6 million-11,700 years ago).
Arctic fox | Origins
It also had a longer tail and hind feet, a different dentition, fewer holes on its palate, and a distinct coat coloration. It had at least two different color morphs; a light morph and a dark morph. This species likely went extinct due to the introduction of invasive red foxes and feral cats, as well as habitat degradation for livestock.
Northern pig-footed bandicoot | Introduction
It is relatively large, about in length and about wide. Its body, however, is quite flat, being less than in thickness. Both ends of the animal are pointed, but the head end is more pointed than the tail end. Near the tip of the head end are two eyes. It is dark brown on the upper surface, with a lighter central line. The underside is pale grey.
Platydemus manokwari | Description
Three associated small canid specimens (an M2, a rib and a posterior mandibular fragment including the P4, M1, coronoid, condylar and angular processes) that were originally attributed to "Vulpes" cf. "V. chama" are reassigned to "V. skinneri". In the paper describing the new specimens, the authors argue that “we compare these specimens to a broad sample of modern and fossil foxes and conclude that these specimens are distinct enough to be referred to a new species” of the early Pleistocene, identified based on fossil remains dated to about 2 million years ago.
Vulpes skinneri | Morphology and interpretations
d. ravana" but the white rectangular markings in interspaces 5 and 6 are whiter. From "B. d. ravana" female it differs in the complete absence of the white discal spots in interspaces 1, 2, 3 and 4. In both sexes the tail is black without any red spot.
Byasa nevilli | Description
This fox lives in northeast part of Turkey, Kars district in Western Transcaucasia (extreme North-Eastern Asia Minor). This small, doglike animal is rusty-red with white underparts, chin and throat. The ears are prominent and the tail is long and bushy with a white tip. Backs of the ears, lower legs and the feet are black. The fox goes through colour phases of black, silver, and mixed.
Trans-Caucasian fox | Range
The swift fox ("Vulpes velox") is a small light orange-tan fox around the size of a domestic cat found in the western grasslands of North America, such as Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. It also lives in southern Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta in Canada, where it was previously extirpated. It is closely related to the kit fox and the two species are sometimes known as subspecies of "Vulpes velox" because hybrids of the two species occur naturally where their ranges overlap. The swift fox lives primarily in short-grass prairies and deserts. It became nearly extinct in the 1930s as a result of predator control programs, but was successfully reintroduced later.
Swift fox | Introduction
A reduction in dopamine levels and changes in the morphology of certain nerve cells are also observed.
FOXP2 | Evolution
The fur of the fennec fox is straw-coloured. Its nose is black. Its tapering tail has a black tip. Its long ears have longitudinal reddish stripes on the back and are so densely haired inside that the external auditory meatus is not visible. The edges of the ears are whitish, but darker on the back. The ear to body ratio is greatest in the canid family and likely help in dissipating heat and locating vertebrates. It has dark streaks running from the inner eye to either side of the slender muzzle. Its large eyes are dark. The dental formula is with small and narrow canines.
Fennec fox | Description
The flanks and sides of the neck are reddish yellow, while the muzzle, ears and underparts of the leg are black. The long hairs of the tail are greyish or yellowish red with black tips, though the tip of the tail is always white. They are distinguished from "bastard" foxes (which are usually the result of a red/silver fox mating) by the dorsal stripe which is black rather than dark red.
Cross fox | Description
The Arabian red fox is similar in color to the common red fox. However, this fox is more adapted to desert life than its parent species, with its ears being much larger, and its body being much smaller than that of the red fox. The Arabian red fox also has fur between its toes, to prevent burning of the feet. It is brownish pale red in color and weighs approximately .
Arabian red fox | Characteristics
"Pseudalopex" is a South American genus of canine distantly related to wolves and is technically not a fox. When Charles Darwin collected a specimen from San Pedro Island in Chiloé Archipelago in December 1834 during the "Beagle" survey expedition, he observed that this "fox (of Chiloe, a rare animal) sat on the point & was so absorbed in watching [survey work], that he allowed me to walk behind him & actually kill him with my geological hammer". In the 1839 publication of his "Journal and Remarks", Darwin said "This fox, more curious or more scientific, but less wise, than the generality of his brethren, is now mounted in the museum of the Zoological Society." He said it was "an undescribed species", indicating that it was distinct from the species ("L.
Darwin's fox | Taxonomy and evolution
The specific name, "vulpinus", (meaning "fox-like") is in honor of Rev. Charles Fox (1815–1854), collector of the holotype, an academic play on words.
Pantherophis vulpinus | Etymology
It is similar in habits to the hill fox, but its diet is more carnivorous than that of other subspecies, and its prey is more restricted to gerbils and sand rats, due to the more barren habitat it occupies.
White-footed fox | Behavior
The lower jaw has a step-like protrusion called the subangular process, which anchors the large muscle to allow for rapid chewing. The digastric muscle is also modified to open and close the jaw five times per second.
Bat-eared fox | Dentition
Similarly, the bush rat had also never been recorded and appeared in the fauna surveys after the commencement of fox control. A third species, the common ringtailed possum, showed a significant increase in abundance as a result of the fox control study. The brown antechinus, the black rat, the brushtailed possum and the sugar glider showed no significant change in abundance. This nine year fox control study on the Beecroft Peninsula provides compelling evidence that small to medium-sized "critical weight range" mammal populations have been driven to extinction or near extinction by fox predation and recover when the ongoing predation pressure of foxes is removed.
Beecroft Peninsula | Small mammals
Although the same conditions are not found in India, their coloring is attractive and has remained through the years. Some can be white and brown. Generally, they are white all over. Pointy fox-like ears that are highly makes this breed especially expressive. Thick fur covers the outside of the ears and covers a lot of the insides as well. This can mean they need extra attention when it comes to care and grooming.
Indian Spitz | Appearance