Vulpini

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Vulpini
Vulpini.jpg
Clockwise from top: red fox, bat-eared fox, tanuki
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Subfamily: Caninae
Tribe: Vulpini
Hemprich and Ehrenberg, 1832
Genera [1]

Vulpini is a taxonomic rank which represents the fox-like tribe of the subfamily Caninae (the canines), and is sister to the dog-like tribe Canini. [2]

Contents

Genera

ImageGenusSpecies
Raccoon Dog01.jpg Nyctereutes Temminck, 1838
Otocyon megalotis - Etosha 2014.jpg Otocyon S. Müller, 1835
Fox - British Wildlife Centre (17429406401).jpg Vulpes Garsault, 1764
Ferrucyon Ruiz-Ramoni et al., 2020
Metalopex S. Müller, 1835
Prototocyon Pohle, 1928

Taxonomy

The taxonomy of Carnivora in general and Canidae in particular correlates with various diagnostic features of the dentition and basicranium. Regarding Vulpini, Tedford has remarked:

These small canids are distinguished from all other Caninae in possessing a wide paroccipital process that is broadly sutured to the posterior surface of the bulla with a short and laterally turned free tip that barely extends below the body of the process. The presence of a metaconule and postprotocrista on M2 of vulpines represents the culmination of a reversal that began with late Leptocyon species to resume the form of the primitive canine M2.

The cladogram below is based on the phylogeny of Lindblad-Toh (2005) [3] modified to incorporate recent findings on Vulpes. [4]

Vulpini

Otocyon megalotis (bat-eared fox) Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes BHL19827472 white background.png

Nyctereutes (raccoon dogs) Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes (Plate XXXII).png

Vulpes

Vulpes zerda (fennec fox) Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes (Plate XXXVI).png

Vulpes cana (Blanford's fox) Blandford's fox.png

Vulpes chama (Cape fox) Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes (Plate XXXIII).png

Vulpes vulpes (red fox) Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes (Plate XXII).png

Vulpes rueppellii (Ruppell's fox) Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes (Plate XXXV).png

Vulpes corsac (corsac fox) Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes (Plate XXVII).png

Vulpes ferrilata (Tibetan sand fox) Tibetan sand fox illustration, transparent background.png

Vulpes macrotis (kit fox) Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes (Plate XXV).png

Vulpes lagopus (Arctic fox) Dogs, jackals, wolves, and foxes (Plate XXVI).png

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canidae</span> Family of mammals

Canidae is a biological family of dog-like carnivorans, colloquially referred to as dogs, and constitutes a clade. A member of this family is also called a canid. The family includes three subfamilies: the Caninae, the extinct Borophaginae and Hesperocyoninae. The Caninae are known as canines, and include domestic dogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes, jackals and other species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackal</span> Several species of the wolf genus of mammals

Jackals are medium-sized canids native to Africa and Eurasia. While the word "jackal" has historically been used for many canines of the subtribe canina, in modern use it most commonly refers to three species: the closely related black-backed jackal and side-striped jackal of sub-Saharan Africa, and the golden jackal of south-central Europe and Asia. The African golden wolf was also formerly considered as a jackal.

<i>Vulpes</i> Genus of the sub-family Caninae

Vulpes is a genus of the sub-family Caninae. The members of this genus are colloquially referred to as true foxes, meaning they form a proper clade. The word "fox" occurs in the common names of all species of the genus, but also appears in the common names of other canid species. True foxes are distinguished from members of the genus Canis, such as domesticated dogs, wolves, jackals and coyotes, by their smaller size (5–11 kg), longer, bushier tail, and flatter skull. They have black, triangular markings between their eyes and nose, and the tip of their tail is often a different color from the rest of their pelt. The typical lifespan for this genus is between two and four years, but can reach up to a decade.

<i>Urocyon</i> Genus of carnivores

Urocyon is a genus of Canidae which includes the gray fox and the island fox. These two fox species are found in the Western Hemisphere. Whole genome sequencing indicates that Urocyon is the most basal genus of the living canids. Fossils of what is believed to be the ancestor of the gray fox, Urocyon progressus, have been found in Kansas and date to the Upper Pliocene, with some undescribed specimens dating even older.

<i>Canis</i> Genus of carnivores

Canis is a genus of the Caninae which includes multiple extant species, such as wolves, dogs, coyotes, and golden jackals. Species of this genus are distinguished by their moderate to large size, their massive, well-developed skulls and dentition, long legs, and comparatively short ears and tails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South American fox</span> Genus of carnivores

The South American foxes (Lycalopex), commonly called raposa in Portuguese, or zorro in Spanish, are a genus from South America of the subfamily Caninae. Despite their name, they are not true foxes, but are a unique canid genus more closely related to wolves and jackals than to true foxes; some of them resemble foxes due to convergent evolution. The South American gray fox, Lycalopex griseus, is the most common species, and is known for its large ears and a highly marketable, russet-fringed pelt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Side-striped jackal</span> Canine native to Africa

The side-striped jackal is a canine native to central and southern Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borophaginae</span> Extinct subfamily of carnivores

The extinct Borophaginae form one of three subfamilies found within the canid family. The other two canid subfamilies are the extinct Hesperocyoninae and extant Caninae. Borophaginae, called "bone-crushing dogs", were endemic to North America during the Oligocene to Pliocene and lived roughly 34—2.5 million years ago, existing for about 33.5 million years.

<i>Hesperocyon</i> Extinct genus of carnivores

Hesperocyon is an extinct genus of canids that was endemic to North America, ranging from southern Canada to Colorado. It appeared during the Uintan age, –Bridgerian age (NALMA) of the Mid-Eocene– 42.5 Ma to 31.0 Ma. (AEO). Hesperocyon existed for approximately 11.5 million years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caninae</span> Subfamily of carnivores

The Caninae, known as canines, are one of three subfamilies found within the canid family. The other two canid subfamilies are the extinct Borophaginae and Hesperocyoninae. The Caninae includes all living canids and their most recent fossil relatives. Their fossils were first found in North America and dated to the Oligocene era, then spreading to Asia at the end of the Miocene era, some 7 million to 8 million years ago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hesperocyoninae</span> Extinct subfamily of carnivores

The extinct Hesperocyoninae are one of three subfamilies found within the canid family. The other two canid subfamilies are the extinct Borophaginae and extant Caninae.

Nothocyon is an extinct genus of carnivoran in the family Subparictidae which inhabited North America during the late Oligocene. At one time, many species of the dog family Canidae were placed in Nothocyon, but new fossils showed that the type species of Nothocyon, N. geismarianus, is more closely related to bears. The other species have been reassigned to other genera such as Cormocyon.

<i>Xenocyon</i> Extinct subgenus of carnivores

Xenocyon is an extinct group of canids, either considered a distinct genus or a subgenus of Canis. The group includes Canis (Xenocyon) africanus, Canis (Xenocyon) antonii and Canis (Xenocyon) falconeri that gave rise to Canis (Xenocyon) lycanoides. The hypercarnivorous Xenocyon is thought to be closely related and possibly ancestral to modern dhole and the African wild dog, as well as the insular Sardinian dhole.

<i>Eucyon</i> Extinct genus of carnivores

Eucyon is an extinct genus of medium omnivorous coyote-like canid that first appeared in the Western United States during the late Middle Miocene 10 million years ago. It was the size of a jackal and weighed around 15kg. Its species E. zhoui was one of a number of North American mammals which invaded East Asia around 5–6 million years ago, followed by the genus going extinct 3 million years ago. This genus is proposed to have given rise to genus Canis 6 million years ago.

Canis nehringi is an extinct species of canid. Canis gezi, a poorly known small wolf from the Ensenadan of South America, appears to have given rise to Canis nehringi, a Lujanian species from Argentina. The species was first described by Florentino Ameghino in 1902.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canini (tribe)</span> Tribe of carnivores

Canini is a taxonomic rank which represents the dog-like tribe of the subfamily Caninae, and is sister to the fox-like tribe Vulpini. The Canini came into existence 9 million years ago. This group was first represented by Eucyon, mostly by Eucyon davisi that was spread widely across North America and is basal to the other members of the tribe. Its members are informally known as true dogs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canina (subtribe)</span> Subtribe of carnivores

Canina is a taxonomic rank which represents the wolf-like subtribe of the tribe Canini, and is sister to the subtribe Cerdocyonina. Fossils of this group date to 5 million years ago, however they are likely to have been in existence 9 million years ago. Its members as a group are colloquially known as the wolf-like canids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cerdocyonina</span> Subtribe of carnivores

Cerdocyonina is an extant subtribe of the canines and is exclusively endemic to the Americas. Often described to be "fox-like" in appearance and behavior, they are more closely related to the wolf-like canids such as Canis than they are to the fox genus Vulpes. Its members are colloquially known as the South American canids and there are 10 extant species. They are sometimes referred to as South American foxes in the older literature, but the term zorro has been recommended by mammalogists to avoid confusion with the true foxes of the tribe Vulpini, which includes the genus Vulpes.

<i>Lupulella</i> Genus of jackals native to Africa

Lupulella is a genus of canine found in Africa. This genus consists of only two extant species, the black-backed jackal and the side-striped jackal.

References

  1. 1 2 Damián Ruiz-Ramoni; Francisco Juan Prevosti; Saverio Bartolini Lucenti; Marisol Montellano-Ballesteros; Ana Luisa Carreño (2020). "The Pliocene canid Cerdocyon avius was not the type of fox that we thought". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 40 (2): e1774889. doi:10.1080/02724634.2020.1774889. S2CID   222214868.
  2. 1 2 3 Tedford, Richard H.; Wang, Xiaoming; Taylor, Beryl E. (2009). "Phylogenetic Systematics of the North American Fossil Caninae (Carnivora: Canidae)" (PDF). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History . 325: 1–218. doi:10.1206/574.1. hdl:2246/5999. S2CID   83594819.
  3. Lindblad-Toh, Kerstin; Wade, Claire M.; Mikkelsen, Tarjei S.; Karlsson, Elinor K.; Jaffe, David B.; Kamal, Michael; et al. (2005). "Genome sequence, comparative analysis and haplotype structure of the domestic dog". Nature. 438 (7069): 803–819. Bibcode:2005Natur.438..803L. doi: 10.1038/nature04338 . PMID   16341006.
  4. Zhao, Chao; Zhang, Honghai; Liu, Guangshuai; Yang, Xiufeng; Zhang, Jin (2016). "The complete mitochondrial genome of the Tibetan fox (Vulpes ferrilata) and implications for the phylogeny of Canidae". Comptes Rendus Biologies. 339 (2): 68–77. doi: 10.1016/j.crvi.2015.11.005 . ISSN   1631-0691. PMID   26868757.