Brazilian battle fox

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Brazilian battle fox
Lycalopex vetulus Carlos Henrique 2.jpeg

Brazilian fighting fox ( Lycalopex vetulus )

Systematics
Order : Predators (Carnivora)
Subordination : Canine (Caniformia)
Family : Dogs (Canidae)
Tribe : Real dogs (Canini)
Genre : Lycalopex
Type : Brazilian battle fox
Scientific name
Lycalopex vetulus
( Lund , 1842)

The Brazilian fighting fox ( Lycalopex vetulus , Syn .: Pseudalopex vetulus ) is a South American fox-like wild dog that occurs in savannah-like landscapes in Brazil . It is noteworthy that he prefers insects, especially termites , as food.

features

Skull drawings of the Brazilian battle scarf

It is a slim and relatively small dog with a typical fox shape. Its head is smaller and its muzzle shorter than other foxes in Latin America. On closer inspection, the dentition is striking. Compared to most other dogs, larger molars and smaller fangs indicate the extraordinary diet. A greatly enlarged tympanic bladder is likely to be such an adaptation as well, as it enables insects to be detected by hearing.

Brazilian foxes have a head body length of 58 to 71 cm, a shoulder height of 33 to 37 cm and a 25 to 35 cm long tail. The weight is 3 to 4 kg. Females are on average slightly smaller than males.

The fur is gray on the top and yellowish on the underside. The underside of the snout and the tip of the tail are black. In some males, an indistinct dark line of eel runs down the back. Partial melanism is common in this species, so that larger areas of the fur in individual animals can appear black.

distribution and habitat

Distribution area of ​​the Brazilian fighting fox

The species occurs in central and southern Brazil . It is proven in the states of São Paulo , Mato Grosso do Sul , Mato Grosso , Goiás , Minas Gerais , Tocantins , Bahia and Piauí . Deposits in Maranhão and Rondônia are controversial . In the south (around Paraná ) the Brazilian fox is being replaced by the related pampas fox . The distribution areas of both species do not overlap.

Until the Pleistocene , the Brazilian fox had a larger distribution area that reached to Argentina .

The typical habitat of this species is the cerrado , a Brazilian tree and bush savannah. It also occurs in the semi-desert regions of the Sertão and Caatinga . The humid Pantanal , on the other hand, offers a less favorable habitat in which it is rarely found. The Brazilian fighting fox is not found at all in tropical rainforests. In the wake of humans, pastures have also become a habitat of this type.

Way of life

activity

Like most foxes, the Brazilian fighting fox is nocturnal. It is usually a loner, but occasionally goes hunting in small groups of three to five animals.

The action area is about 4 to 6 km². Spaces for action by different individuals can overlap.

nutrition

In its predilection for termites , the Brazilian fighting fox is reminiscent of another wild dog, the unrelated spoonhound . In contrast to this, other nutritional components also play a major role.

Termites of the genera Syntermes and Cornitermes are preferred . These are taken up from the ground or captured in the air, but not dug up. Also, dung beetle , the other from the feces animals are rescued, and the very frequent in the Cerrado grasshoppers play an important role in the diet of this fox. Smaller parts make up fruits, mice, small birds and reptiles.

The preferred diet changes with the seasons. In the winter dry season, the fighting foxes feed on termites, sometimes supplemented by small mammals. In the summer rainy season, the food spectrum becomes larger, especially the vegetable content then becomes more important.

Reproduction

Brazilian foxes live in monogamous pairings, and both partners care for the young. After a gestation period of around 50 days, two to four young are born in August or September. The birth and rearing during the first days of life take place in the abandoned den of another animal - armadillo burrows are particularly often used here . At the age of two months, the cubs eat insects on their own for the first time, but they are suckled regularly until they are four months old and they stay with their parents until they are six months old.

Enemies

Little is known about enemies. Only the puma is documented , not jaguars and birds of prey . Remains of Brazilian foxes were found in the mane wolves' droppings , but it is believed that they were eaten as carrion. In the vicinity of cities, foxes sometimes fall prey to feral domestic dogs .

Threat and protection

The Brazilian ruff is a very common species in the cerrado. There are no known hazards. Sometimes the animals are killed because they are held responsible for raids on poultry houses, but this is probably due to confusion with the Maikong . The killings cannot affect the survival of the battle fox. His adaptability opened up a new habitat for him in pastures, where he searches the cattle manure for dung beetles. The deforestation of the rainforests tends to favor the spread of this species. The IUCN classified the Brazilian fighting fox as Least Concern (not endangered) in 2008 after having kept it in the Data Deficient status for years .

Surname

The Brazilian battle fox was originally described as Canis vetulus by the Danish zoologist Peter Wilhelm Lund . In 1854 Hermann Burmeister created his own Lycalopex genus for him . However, this soon became unusual again. During the 20th century, the Brazilian battle scarf was alternately assigned to the genera Dusicyon and Pseudalopex . Recently, the entire genus Pseudalopex is occasionally listed under the name Lycalopex , as this is the older of the two names.

In English, the Brazilian fighting fox is known as the Hoary Fox (because of its gray fur color) or as the Small-toothed Fox (because of its small fangs). The native Portuguese name is raposa-do-campo , meaning " fighting fox". The Tupi name jaguarapitanga is also occasionally in use.

Sources and further information

Sources cited

Most of the information in this article is taken from the source given under literature; the following sources are also cited:

  1. a b c d Michael Hoffmann, Dave Mech & Claudio Sillero-Zubiri (eds.): Canids: Foxes, Wolves, Jackals and Dogs: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan . International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, 2004. ISBN 978-2-8317-0786-0
  2. a b c Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier (eds.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 1: Carnivores. Lynx Edicions, 2009. ISBN 978-84-96553-49-1
  3. ^ IUCN Species Account , accessed November 30, 2009

literature

Julio C. Dalponte: Lycalopex vetulus . In: Mammalian Species 2009, No. 847, pp. 1-7.

Web links

Commons : Pseudalopex vetulus  - collection of images, videos and audio files