Vulpes Information

Vulpes is a genus of the Canidae family. Its members are referred to as 'true foxes', although there are species in other genera whose common names include the word 'fox'.

True foxes are distinguished from members of the Canis genus, such as wolves, coyotes, and jackals, by their smaller size and flatter skulls. They have black triangular markings between the eyes and nose, and the tip of the tail is often a different colour from the rest of the pelt.^[2]

Species

• Kit Fox, Vulpes macrotis
• Pale Fox, Vulpes pallida
• Bengal Fox, Vulpes bengalensis
• Blanford's Fox, Vulpes cana
• Cape Fox, Vulpes chama
• Corsac Fox, Vulpes corsac
• Tibetan Sand Fox, Vulpes ferrilata
• Rüppell's Fox, Vulpes rueppellii
• Swift Fox, Vulpes velox
• Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes

• Tame Silver Fox, Vulpes vulpes ?

• Fennec Fox, Vulpes zerda

The Arctic Fox is sometimes included in this genus as Vulpes lagopus based on the definitive mammal taxonomy list, as well as genetic evidence.^[1][3]. However, it is more often assigned its own genus, Alopex.

Fossil species

• †Vulpes riffautae - Late Miocene

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Wozencraft, W. Christopher (16 November 2005). "Order Carnivora (pp. 532-628)". In Wilson, Don E., and Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols. (2142 pp.). ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=14000865.
2. ^ Macdonald, David (1984). The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. pp. 31. ISBN 0-87196-871-1.
3. ^ Bininda-Emonds, ORP; JL Gittleman, A Purvis (1999). "Building large trees by combining phylogenetic information: a complete phylogeny of the extant Carnivora (Mammalia)" (PDF). Biol. Rev. 74 (2): 143–175. doi:10.1017/S0006323199005307. PMID 10396181. http://www.daimi.au.dk/~cmosses/thesis/articles/Bininda_Emonds_Carnivora.pdf. Retrieved 2008-07-30.

Categories: Foxes

Related 'Vulpes' Searches: