Pale fox

Species of carnivore

Pale fox
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Vulpes
Species:
V. pallida[1]
Binomial name
Vulpes pallida[1]
(Cretzschmar, 1827)
Pale fox range
Synonyms
  • Canis pallidus
  • Vulpes pallidus
  • Fennecus pallidus

The pale fox (Vulpes pallida) is a species of fox found in the band of African Sahel from Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east.[1][3] It is one of the least studied of all canid species, in part due to its remote habitat and its sandy coat that blends in well with the desert-like terrain.[4]

Subspecies

There are five recognized subspecies:[1]

  • Vulpes pallida pallida
  • Vulpes pallida cyrenaica
  • Vulpes pallida edwardsi
  • Vulpes pallida harterti
  • Vulpes pallida oertzeni

Description

The pale fox is a small fox, with a long body and relatively short legs and an narrow muzzle. The fur is quite thin, with a pale sandy colour that turns white towards the abdomen. The back is often speckled with a blackish or a rufous colouration, with a darker mid-dorsal line. The flanks are paler than the dorsal pelage, blending into buffy-white underparts, and the legs are rufous. It has a pale face, an elongated muzzle with relatively long whiskers, and a dark ring surrounding the eye.[5]

Its tail is long and bushy, with a reddish brown color with a prominent black tip and a dark patch above the tail gland. The skull is small with a relatively short maxillary region and small sharp canine teeth.[6] The ears are large compared to other foxes but is typical of a desert inhabiting canid.[4]

Head and body length is 380–550 mm, tail length is 230–290 mm and weight 2.0–3.6 kg.[5]

Distribution and habitat

Pale fox is distributed in the semi-arid Sahelian region of Africa bordering the Sahara Desert, from Mauritania and Senegal via Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad to the Red Sea. The southern border of its range extends to the savanna zones of northern Guinea.[5] It is also present in Benin, Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Sudan. The habitat is sandy or stony arid terrain, and the pale fox is able to relocate southwards and northwards in relation to the periodic droughts that affect these regions.[2]

Ecology

The pale fox typically inhabits stony deserts and semi-deserts although it occasionally ventures south into the savanna. The pale foxes are primarily nocturnal. They are gregarious, living in shared burrows,[7] probably in small family groups with parents and their young. During the day they rest in dug burrows that can extend up to 15 meters long and descend up to 2 meters to the ground, at dusk they venture out and forage for food, which includes plants and berries as well as rodents, reptiles and insects. It has the ability to retain water from its food, and can go almost completely without drinking.[4]

Status

Although the abundance of the pale fox is unknown, it seems to be a common species throughout its wide range. No particular threats have been identified although this fox is sometimes hunted because it raids villages and takes poultry, and it is sometimes killed by vehicles at night. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Order Carnivora". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 532–628. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ a b c Sillero-Zubiri, C.; Wacher, T. (2012). "Vulpes pallida". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012: e.T23052A16813736. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T23052A16813736.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  3. ^ "Pale fox (Vulpes pallida)". Canid Specialist Group. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  4. ^ a b c "Arkive - Pale fox". 2006. Archived from the original on 2011-08-10. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  5. ^ a b c Sillero-Zubiri, C. (2004). "Pale fox Vulpes pallida (Cretzschmar, 1827)". In Sillero-Zubiri, C.; Hoffmann, M.; Macdonald, D. W. (eds.). Canids: foxes, wolves, jackals, and dogs : status survey and conservation action plan. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group. p. 199. ISBN 978-2-8317-0786-0.
  6. ^ Clutton-Brock, Juliet; Corbet, Gordon B; Hills, Michael (1976). "A review of the family Canidae, with a classification by numerical methods". Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). 29: 117–199. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.6922.
  7. ^ Sheldon, Jennifer W. (1992). Wild dogs: the natural history of the non-domestic Canidae. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 182–184. ISBN 0-12-639375-3.

Further reading

  • Nowak, Ronald M. (1991). Walker's mammals of the world (Fifth ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 9780801839702.
  • v
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Extant Carnivora species
Suborder Feliformia
Nandiniidae
Nandinia
  • African palm civet (N. binotata)
Herpestidae
(Mongooses)
Atilax
  • Marsh mongoose (A. paludinosus)
Bdeogale
  • Bushy-tailed mongoose (B. crassicauda)
  • Jackson's mongoose (B. jacksoni)
  • Black-footed mongoose (B. nigripes)
Crossarchus
  • Alexander's kusimanse (C. alexandri)
  • Angolan kusimanse (C. ansorgei)
  • Common kusimanse (C. obscurus)
  • Flat-headed kusimanse (C. platycephalus)
Cynictis
  • Yellow mongoose (C. penicillata)
Dologale
  • Pousargues's mongoose (D. dybowskii)
Helogale
  • Ethiopian dwarf mongoose (H. hirtula)
  • Common dwarf mongoose (H. parvula)
Herpestes
  • Angolan slender mongoose (H. flavescens)
  • Egyptian mongoose (H. ichneumon)
  • Somalian slender mongoose (H. ochracea)
  • Cape gray mongoose (H. pulverulenta)
  • Common slender mongoose (H. sanguinea)
Ichneumia
  • White-tailed mongoose (I. albicauda)
Liberiictus
  • Liberian mongoose (L. kuhni)
Mungos
  • Gambian mongoose (M. gambianus)
  • Banded mongoose (M. mungo)
Paracynictis
  • Selous's mongoose (P. selousi)
Rhynchogale
  • Meller's mongoose (R. melleri)
Suricata
  • Meerkat (S. suricatta)
Urva
  • Small Indian mongoose (U. auropunctata)
  • Short-tailed mongoose (U. brachyura)
  • Indian grey mongoose (U. edwardsii)
  • Indian brown mongoose (U. fusca)
  • Javan mongoose (U. javanica)
  • Collared mongoose (U. semitorquata)
  • Ruddy mongoose (U. smithii)
  • Crab-eating mongoose (U. urva)
  • Stripe-necked mongoose (U. vitticolla)
Xenogale
  • Long-nosed mongoose (X. naso)
Hyaenidae
(Hyenas)
Crocuta
  • Spotted hyena (C. crocuta)
Hyaena
  • Striped hyena (H. hyaena)
Parahyaena
  • Brown hyena (P. brunnea)
Proteles
  • Aardwolf (P. cristata)
Felidae
Large family listed below
Viverridae
Large family listed below
Eupleridae
Small family listed below
Family Felidae
Felinae
Acinonyx
  • Cheetah (A. jubatus)
Caracal
  • African golden cat (C. aurata)
  • Caracal (C. caracal)
Catopuma
  • Bay cat (C. badia)
  • Asian golden cat (C. temminckii)
Felis
  • Chinese mountain cat (F. bieti)
  • Domestic cat (F. catus)
  • Jungle cat (F. chaus)
  • African wildcat (F. lybica)
  • Sand cat (F. margarita)
  • Black-footed cat (F. nigripes)
  • European wildcat (F. silvestris)
Herpailurus
  • Jaguarundi (H. yagouaroundi)
Leopardus
  • Pampas cat (L. colocola)
  • Geoffroy's cat (L. geoffroyi)
  • Kodkod (L. guigna)
  • Southern tiger cat (L. guttulus)
  • Andean mountain cat (L. jacobita)
  • Ocelot (L. pardalis)
  • Oncilla (L. tigrinus)
  • Margay (L. wiedii)
  • Nariño cat (L. narinensis)
Leptailurus
  • Serval (L. serval)
Lynx
  • Canada lynx (L. canadensis)
  • Eurasian lynx (L. lynx)
  • Iberian lynx (L. pardinus)
  • Bobcat (L. rufus)
Otocolobus
  • Pallas's cat (O. manul)
Pardofelis
  • Marbled cat (P. marmorata)
Prionailurus
  • Leopard cat (P. bengalensis)
  • Sunda leopard cat (P. javanensis)
  • Flat-headed cat (P. planiceps)
  • Rusty-spotted cat (P. rubiginosus)
  • Fishing cat (P. viverrinus)
Puma
  • Cougar (P. concolor)
Pantherinae
Panthera
  • Lion (P. leo)
  • Jaguar (P. onca)
  • Leopard (P. pardus)
  • Tiger (P. tigris)
  • Snow leopard (P. uncia)
Neofelis
  • Sunda clouded leopard (N. diardi)
  • Clouded leopard (N. nebulosa)
Prionodon
  • Banded linsang (P. linsang)
  • Spotted linsang (P. pardicolor)
Family Viverridae
Paradoxurinae
Arctictis
  • Binturong (A. binturong)
Arctogalidia
  • Small-toothed palm civet (A. trivirgata)
Macrogalidia
  • Sulawesi palm civet (M. musschenbroekii)
Paguma
  • Masked palm civet (P. larvata)
Paradoxurus
  • Asian palm civet (P. hermaphroditus)
  • Brown palm civet (P. jerdoni)
  • Golden palm civet (P. zeylonensis)
Hemigalinae
Chrotogale
  • Owston's palm civet (C. owstoni)
Cynogale
  • Otter civet (C. bennettii)
Diplogale
  • Hose's palm civet (D. hosei)
Hemigalus
  • Banded palm civet (H. derbyanus)
Viverrinae
Civettictis
  • African civet (C. civetta)
Viverra
  • Malabar large-spotted civet (V. civettina)
  • Large-spotted civet (V. megaspila)
  • Malayan civet (V. tangalunga)
  • Large Indian civet (V. zibetha)
Viverricula
  • Small Indian civet (V. indica)
Genettinae
Genetta
(Genets)
  • Abyssinian genet (G. abyssinica)
  • Angolan genet (G. angolensis)
  • Bourlon's genet (G. bourloni)
  • Crested servaline genet (G. cristata)
  • Common genet (G. genetta)
  • Johnston's genet (G. johnstoni)
  • Letaba genet (G. letabae)
  • Rusty-spotted genet (G. maculata)
  • Pardine genet (G. pardina)
  • Aquatic genet (G. piscivora)
  • King genet (G. poensis)
  • Servaline genet (G. servalina)
  • Hausa genet (G. thierryi)
  • Cape genet (G. tigrina)
  • Giant forest genet (G. victoriae)
  • South African small-spotted genet (G. felina)
Poiana
  • Central African oyan (P. richardsonii)
  • West African oyan (P. leightoni)
Family Eupleridae
Euplerinae
Cryptoprocta
  • Fossa (C. ferox)
Eupleres
  • Eastern falanouc (E. goudotii)
  • Western falanouc (E. major)
Fossa
  • Malagasy civet (F. fossana)
Galidiinae
Galidia
  • Ring-tailed vontsira (G. elegans)
Galidictis
  • Broad-striped Malagasy mongoose (G. fasciata)
  • Grandidier's mongoose (G. grandidieri)
Mungotictis
  • Narrow-striped mongoose (M. decemlineata)
Salanoia
  • Brown-tailed mongoose (S. concolor)
  • Durrell's vontsira (S. durrelli)
Suborder Caniformia (cont. below)
Ursidae
(Bears)
Ailuropoda
  • Giant panda (A. melanoleuca)
Helarctos
  • Sun bear (H. malayanus)
Melursus
  • Sloth bear (M. ursinus)
Tremarctos
  • Spectacled bear (T. ornatus)
Ursus
  • American black bear (U. americanus)
  • Brown bear (U. arctos)
  • Polar bear (U. maritimus)
  • Asian black bear (U. thibetanus)
Mephitidae
(Skunks)
Conepatus
(Hog-nosed
skunks)
  • Molina's hog-nosed skunk (C. chinga)
  • Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk (C. humboldtii)
  • American hog-nosed skunk (C. leuconotus)
  • Striped hog-nosed skunk (C. semistriatus)
Mephitis
  • Hooded skunk (M. macroura)
  • Striped skunk (M. mephitis)
Mydaus
  • Sunda stink badger (M. javanensis)
  • Palawan stink badger (M. marchei)
Spilogale
(Spotted skunks)
  • Southern spotted skunk (S. angustifrons)
  • Western spotted skunk (S. gracilis)
  • Eastern spotted skunk (S. putorius)
  • Pygmy spotted skunk (S. pygmaea)
Procyonidae
(Raccoons, coatis, olingos)
Bassaricyon
(Olingos)
  • Eastern lowland olingo (B. alleni)
  • Northern olingo (B. gabbii)
  • Western lowland olingo (B. medius)
  • Olinguito (B. neblina)
Bassariscus
  • Ringtail (B. astutus)
  • Cacomistle (B. sumichrasti)
Nasua
(Coatis inclusive)
  • White-nosed coati (N. narica)
  • South American coati (N. nasua)
Nasuella
(Coatis inclusive)
  • Eastern mountain coati (N. meridensis)
  • Western mountain coati (N. olivacea)
Potos
  • Kinkajou (P. flavus)
Procyon
  • Crab-eating raccoon (P. cancrivorus)
  • Raccoon (P. lotor)
  • Cozumel raccoon (P. pygmaeus)
Ailuridae
Ailurus
  • Red panda (A. fulgens)
Suborder Caniformia (cont. above)
Otariidae
(Eared seals)
(includes fur seals
and sea lions)

(Pinniped inclusive)
Arctocephalus
  • South American fur seal (A. australis)
  • Australasian fur seal (A. forsteri)
  • Galápagos fur seal (A. galapagoensis)
  • Antarctic fur seal (A. gazella)
  • Juan Fernández fur seal (A. philippii)
  • Brown fur seal (A. pusillus)
  • Guadalupe fur seal (A. townsendi)
  • Subantarctic fur seal (A. tropicalis)
Callorhinus
  • Northern fur seal (C. ursinus)
Eumetopias
  • Steller sea lion (E. jubatus)
Neophoca
  • Australian sea lion (N. cinerea)
Otaria
  • South American sea lion (O. flavescens)
Phocarctos
  • New Zealand sea lion (P. hookeri)
Zalophus
  • California sea lion (Z. californianus)
  • Galápagos sea lion (Z. wollebaeki)
Odobenidae
(Pinniped inclusive)
Odobenus
  • Walrus (O. rosmarus)
Phocidae
(Earless seals)
(Pinniped inclusive)
Cystophora
  • Hooded seal (C. cristata)
Erignathus
  • Bearded seal (E. barbatus)
Halichoerus
  • Grey seal (H. grypus)
Histriophoca
  • Ribbon seal (H. fasciata)
Hydrurga
  • Leopard seal (H. leptonyx)
Leptonychotes
  • Weddell seal (L. weddellii)
Lobodon
  • Crabeater seal (L. carcinophagus)
Mirounga
(Elephant seals)
  • Northern elephant seal (M. angustirostris)
  • Southern elephant seal (M. leonina)
Monachus
  • Mediterranean monk seal (M. monachus)
Neomonachus
  • Hawaiian monk seal (N. schauinslandi)
Ommatophoca
  • Ross seal (O. rossi)
Pagophilus
  • Harp seal (P. groenlandicus)
Phoca
  • Spotted seal (P. largha)
  • Harbor seal (P. vitulina)
Pusa
  • Caspian seal (P. caspica)
  • Ringed seal (P. hispida)
  • Baikal seal (P. sibirica)
Canidae
Large family listed below
Mustelidae
Large family listed below
Family Canidae (includes dogs)
Atelocynus
  • Short-eared dog (A. microtis)
Canis
  • Golden jackal (C. aureus)
  • Domestic dog (C. familiaris)
  • Coyote (C. latrans)
  • African wolf (C. lupaster)
  • Wolf (C. lupus)
  • Eastern wolf (C. lycaon)
  • Red wolf (C. rufus)
  • Ethiopian wolf (C. simensis)
Cerdocyon
  • Crab-eating fox (C. thous)
Chrysocyon
  • Maned wolf (C. brachyurus)
Cuon
  • Dhole (C. alpinus)
Lupulella
  • Side-striped jackal (L. adustus)
  • Black-backed jackal (L. mesomelas)
Lycalopex
  • Culpeo (L. culpaeus)
  • Darwin's fox (L. fulvipes)
  • South American gray fox (L. griseus)
  • Pampas fox (L. gymnocercus)
  • Sechuran fox (L. sechurae)
  • Hoary fox (L. vetulus)
Lycaon
  • African wild dog (L. pictus)
Nyctereutes
  • Common raccoon dog (N. procyonoides)
  • Japanese raccoon dog (N. viverrinus)
Otocyon
  • Bat-eared fox (O. megalotis)
Speothos
  • Bush dog (S. venaticus)
Urocyon
  • Gray fox (U. cinereoargenteus)
  • Island fox (U. littoralis)
Vulpes
(Foxes)
  • Bengal fox (V. bengalensis)
  • Blanford's fox (V. cana)
  • Cape fox (V. chama)
  • Corsac fox (V. corsac)
  • Tibetan fox (V. ferrilata)
  • Arctic fox (V. lagopus)
  • Kit fox (V. macrotis)
  • Pale fox (V. pallida)
  • Rüppell's fox (V. rueppelli)
  • Swift fox (V. velox)
  • Red fox (V. vulpes)
  • Fennec fox (V. zerda)
Family Mustelidae
Helictidinae
(Ferret-badgers)
Melogale
  • Vietnam ferret-badger (M. cucphuongensis)
  • Bornean ferret badger (M. everetti)
  • Chinese ferret-badger (M. moschata)
  • Javan ferret-badger (M. orientalis)
  • Burmese ferret-badger (M. personata)
  • Formosan ferret-badger (M. subaurantiaca)
Guloninae
(Martens and wolverines)
Eira
  • Tayra (E. barbara)
Gulo
  • Wolverine (G. gulo)
Martes
(Martens)
  • American marten (M. americana)
  • Pacific marten (M. caurina)
  • Yellow-throated marten (M. flavigula)
  • Beech marten (M. foina)
  • Nilgiri marten (M. gwatkinsii)
  • European pine marten (M. martes)
  • Japanese marten (M. melampus)
  • Sable (M. zibellina)
Pekania
  • Fisher (P. pennanti)
Ictonychinae
(African polecats and grisons)
Galictis
  • Lesser grison (G. cuja)
  • Greater grison (G. vittata)
Ictonyx
  • Saharan striped polecat (I. libyca)
  • Striped polecat (I. striatus)
Lyncodon
  • Patagonian weasel (L. patagonicus)
Poecilogale
  • African striped weasel (P. albinucha)
Vormela
  • Marbled polecat (V. peregusna)
Lutrinae
(Otters)
Aonyx
  • African clawless otter (A. capensis)
  • Asian small-clawed otter (A. cinereus)
  • Congo clawless otter (A. congicus)
Enhydra
  • Sea otter (E. lutris)
Hydrictis
  • Spotted-necked otter (H. maculicollis)
Lontra
  • North American river otter (L. canadensis)
  • Marine otter (L. felina)
  • Neotropical otter (L. longicaudis)
  • Southern river otter (L. provocax)
Lutra
  • Eurasian otter (L. lutra)
  • Hairy-nosed otter (L. sumatrana)
Lutrogale
  • Smooth-coated otter (L. perspicillata)
Pteronura
  • Giant otter (P. brasiliensis)
Melinae
(Eurasian badgers)
Arctonyx
  • Northern hog badger (A. albogularis)
  • Greater hog badger (A. collaris)
  • Sumatran hog badger (A. hoevenii)
Meles
  • Japanese badger (M. anakuma)
  • Caucasian badger (M. canescens)
  • Asian badger (M. leucurus)
  • European badger (M. meles)
Mellivorinae
Mellivora
  • Honey badger (M. capensis)
Mustelinae
(Weasels and minks)
Mustela
(Weasels and ferrets)
  • Sichuan weasel (M. aistoodonnivalis)
  • Mountain weasel (M. altaica)
  • Stoat/Beringian ermine (M. erminea)
  • Steppe polecat (M. eversmannii)
  • Ferret (M. furo)
  • Haida ermine (M. haidarum)
  • Japanese weasel (M. itatsi)
  • Yellow-bellied weasel (M. kathiah)
  • European mink (M. lutreola)
  • Indonesian mountain weasel (M. lutreolina)
  • Black-footed ferret (M. nigripes)
  • Least weasel (M. nivalis)
  • Malayan weasel (M. nudipes)
  • European polecat (M. putorius)
  • American ermine (M. richardsonii)
  • Siberian weasel (M. sibirica)
  • Back-striped weasel (M. strigidorsa)
Neogale
  • Amazon weasel (N. africana)
  • Colombian weasel (N. felipei)
  • Long-tailed weasel (N. frenata)
  • American mink (N. vison)
Taxidiinae
Taxidea
  • American badger (T. taxus)
Taxon identifiers
Vulpes pallida