Vulpes
A red fox (Vulpes vulpes schrencki, Kita kitsune ) of Hokkaido, the northernmost main island of Japan
Vulpes is a genus of the family of dogs, which most, but not all of the animals referred to as foxes.
Features
The animals of this genus are characterized by a slender body with short legs, a pointed muzzle, large, pointed ears and a long, bushy tail that can be as long as the body in some species. They reach a body length from 35 to 90 inches, which must be added a 18-55 centimeter long tail comes, and a weight of 1 to 14 kg. The coat can vary in nature white, yellow, with reddish or gray, → see Rotfuchsfell.
Occurrence
The natural distribution of the genus Vulpes includes Eurasia, Africa and North America; the red fox was introduced by man in Australia.
System
Gray fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus )
Island gray fox ( Urocyon littoralis )
Vulpes
Raccoon dog ( Nyctereutes procyonoides )
Bat-eared Fox ( Otocyon megalotis )
South America clade ( Atelocynus, Cerdocyon, Lycalopex, Chrysocyon, Speothos )
Wolf clade (Canis, Cuon, Lycaon )
In a classification of dogs of Lindblad - Toh et al. 2005, which was based on molecular genetic studies, the genus Vulpes as sister taxon was compared with the raccoon dog ( Nyctereutes procyonoides ). A comparison was doing about 15 kilobases of exon and intron sequences. As a sister species of these two genera of the bat-eared fox ( Otocyon megalotis ) was identified. Together, these three genera has been summarized as red fox clade. This corresponds to parts of the originally as genuine foxes ( Vulpini ) combined group, but in which the raccoon dog was not included, and in addition the gray foxes ( Urocyon ) contained, which are now considered as basal sister group of all dogs.
The genus Vulpes include 12 extant species:
- Bengalfuchs (Vulpes bengalensis )
- Afghan fox (Vulpes cana )
- Kapfuchs (Vulpes chama )
- Steppe fox (Vulpes corsac )
- Tibetan fox (Vulpes ferrilata )
- Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus )
- Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis )
- Pale fox (Vulpes pallida )
- Rüppellfuchs (Vulpes rueppelli )
- Swift fox (Vulpes velox )
- Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)
- Fennec, or desert fox (Vulpes zerda )
There are also about as many species that are extinct and described based on fossils:
- Vulpes galauticus †
- Vulpes riffautae †
- Vulpes praeglacialis †
- Vulpes stenognathus †
- Vulpes kernensis †
- Vulpes Hassini †
- Vulpes skinneri †
- Vulpes alopecoides †
- Vulpes praecorsac †
- Vulpes beihaiensis †
- Vulpes chikushanensis †
- Vulpes pattisoni †
- Vulpes pulcher †
Kapfuchs ( V. chama )
Bengalfuchs ( V. bengalensis )
Pale fox ( V. pallida )
Afghan fox ( V. cana )
Fennec fox ( V. zerda )
Kit Fox ( V. macrotis )
Arctic fox ( V. lagopus )
Steppe fox ( V. corsac )
Tibetan fox ( V. ferrilata )
Red fox ( V. vulpes)
Rüppellfuchs (v. rueppelli )
The arctic fox is classified in newer classifications in the genus Vulpes instead of a monotypic genus Alopex, which is consistent with the findings of DNA studies that classify him as a sister species of the Swift fox. Because of its small size and other morphological features of the Fenneks many authors found this species in a separate genus Fennecus. Was opposed from the 1990s, many taxonomists and DNA studies, which are rooted the fennec fox within the genus Vulpes. The fennec fox is out since of all taxonomic authorities as Vulpes zerda. The fennec fox represents a more basal member of the genus Vulpes, its sister species, the Afghan fox (Vulpes cana ).