Whiskers (carpal vibrissae) are also on the forelimbs and average 40 mm ( 1 + 5⁄ 8 in) long, pointing downward and backward. The whiskers on the muzzle, known as mystacial vibrissae, average 100–110 millimetres ( 3 + 7⁄ 8– 4 + 3⁄ 8 inches) long, while the whiskers everywhere else on the head average to be shorter in length. Unlike most members of the family Canidae, foxes have partially retractable claws. They are digitigrade (meaning they walk on their toes). įox features typically include a triangular face, pointed ears, an elongated rostrum, and a bushy tail. In the largest species, the red fox, males weigh on average between 4.1 and 8.7 kilograms (9 and 19 + 1⁄ 4 pounds), while the smallest species, the fennec fox, weighs just 0.7 to 1.6 kg ( 1 + 1⁄ 2 to 3 + 1⁄ 2 lb). įoxes are generally smaller than some other members of the family Canidae such as wolves and jackals, while they may be larger than some within the family, such as Raccoon dogs.
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).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).Within the Canidae, the results of DNA analysis shows several phylogenetic divisions: Phylogenetic relationshipsĬomparative illustration of skulls of a true fox (left) and gray fox (right), with differing temporal ridges and subangular lobes indicated A group of foxes is referred to as a skulk, leash, or earth. northern English "fox" versus southern English "vox"). Vixen is one of very few words in modern English that retain the Middle English southern dialect "v" pronunciation instead of "f" (i.e. Male foxes are known as dogs, tods or reynards, females as vixens, and young as cubs, pups, or kits, though the last name is not to be confused with a distinct species called kit foxes. This in turn derives from Proto-Indo-European * puḱ-, meaning ’thick-haired tail’. The word fox comes from Old English, which derived from Proto-Germanic * fuhsaz. 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. 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 most common and widespread species of fox is the red fox ( Vulpes vulpes) with about 47 recognized subspecies. įoxes live on every continent except Antarctica.
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 the bat-eared fox, gray fox, and island fox. Twelve species belong to the monophyletic "true foxes" group of genus Vulpes. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or brush). FoxesĪ red fox in Västernorrlands Län, Sweden.Ĭladistically included but traditionally excluded taxaįoxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. For other uses, see Foxes (disambiguation) and Vixen (disambiguation).
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