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Fox
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the animal. For other uses, see Fox (disambiguation). For the media company
and its subsidiaries such as Fox Broadcasting Corporation, see 21st Century Fox.
"Foxes" and "Vixen" redirect here. For other uses, see Foxes (disambiguation) and Vixen
(disambiguation).
Fox
Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) lying in snow
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genera
 Vulpes
 Cerdocyon
 †Dusicyon
 Lycalopex
 Otocyon
 Urocyon
Foxes are small-to-medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the

family Canidae. Foxes have a flattened skull, upright triangular ears, a pointed, slightly
upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or brush).
Twelve species belong to the monophyletic group of Vulpes genus of "true foxes". Approximately
another 25 current or extinct species are always or sometimes called foxes; these foxes are either
part of the paraphyletic group of the South American foxes, or of the outlying group, which consists
of bat-eared fox, gray fox, and island fox.[1] Foxes live on every continent except Antarctica. By far
the most common and widespread species of fox is the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) with about 47
recognized subspecies.[2] The global distribution of foxes, together with their widespread reputation
for cunning, has contributed to their prominence in popular culture and folklore in many societies
around the world. The hunting of foxes with packs of hounds, long an established pursuit in Europe,
especially in the British Isles, was exported by European settlers to various parts of the New World.
Contents
[hide]
 1Etymology
 2Phylogenetic relationships
 3Biology
o 3.1General morphology
o 3.2Pelage
o 3.3Dentition
o 3.4Behavior
o 3.5Sexual characteristics
o 3.6Vocalization
 4Classification
 5Conservation
o 5.1Island fox (Urocyon littoralis)
o 5.2Darwin's fox (Pseudalopex fulvipes)
 6Relationships with humans
o 6.1Fox hunting
o 6.2Domestication
o 6.3Urban foxes
o 6.4In culture
 7Notes
 8References
 9External links
Etymology
The word fox comes from Old English, which derived from Proto-Germanic *fuhsaz.[nb 1] This in turn
derives from Proto-Indo-European *puḱ-, meaning ’thick-haired; tail’.[nb 2] Male foxes are known
as dogs, tods or reynards, females as vixens, and young as cubs, pups, or kits, though the latter
name is not to be confused with a distinct species called kit foxes. A group of foxes is referred to as
a skulk, leash, or earth.[3][4]
Phylogenetic relationships
Within the Canidae, the results of DNA analysis shows several phylogenetic divisions:
1. The fox-like canids, which include the kit fox (Vulpes velox), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), Cape
fox (Vulpes chama), Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), and fennec fox (Vulpes zerda).[5]
2. The wolf-like canids, (genus Canis, Cuon and Lycaon) including the dog (Canis lupus
familiaris), gray wolf (Canis lupus), red wolf (Canis rufus), eastern wolf (Canis
lycaon), coyote (Canis latrans), golden jackal (Canis aureus), Ethiopian wolf (Canis
simensis), black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas), side-striped jackal (Canis
adustus), dhole(Cuon alpinus), and African wild dog (Lycaon pictus).[5]
3. The South American canids, including the bush dog (Speothos venaticus), hoary
fox (Lycalopex uetulus), crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) and maned wolf.[5]
4. Various monotypic taxa, including the bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis), gray fox (Urocyon
cinereoargenteus), and raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides).[5]
Biology
Fox skeleton
General morphology
Foxes are generally smaller than other members of the family Canidae such as wolves, jackals, and
domestic dogs. For example, in the largest species, the red fox, males weigh on average between
4.1 and 8.7 kg (9.0 and 19.2 lb),[6] while the smallest species, the fennec fox, weighs just 0.7 to
1.6 kg (1.5 to 3.5 lb).[7] Fox-like features typically include a triangular face, pointed ears, an
elongated rostrum, and a bushy tail. Foxes are digitigrade, and thus, walk on their toes. Unlike most
members of the family Canidae, foxes have partially retractable claws.[8] Fox vibrissae, or whiskers,
are black. The whiskers on the muzzle, mystaciae vibrissae, average 100–110 mm (3.9–4.3 in) long,
while the whiskers everywhere else on the head average to be shorter in length. Whiskers (carpal
vibrissae) are also on the forelimbs and average 40 mm (1.6 in) long, pointing downward and
backward.[2] Other physical characteristics vary according to habitat and adaptive significance.
Pelage

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Fox

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) lying in snow

Foxes are small-to-medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the

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