Lycalopex vetulus

Geographic Range

Hoary foxes, Pseudalopex vetulus , live in the neotropical region of the world. They are found in the Minas Gerais and the Motto Grosso regions in southwestern Brazil.

• Biogeographic Regions
• neotropical neotropical
  • native native

Habitat

Hoary foxes live in tall grass steppes and in savanna interspersed with wooded "islands", as well as upland mountain areas in open woodland and brushland. Their habitat extends across the more open terrain of east-central Brazil. They live near cerrado vegetation.

• Habitat Regions
• terrestrial terrestrial

• Terrestrial Biomes
• savanna or grassland savanna or grassland
• forest forest
• scrub forest scrub forest
• mountains mountains

Physical Description

Hoary foxes are small, with a short muzzle and small teeth. Their fur is grayish in color, with a pale underbody and reddish ears and legs. There is a dark stripe running along the dorsal line and the tip tail. The exterior of the legs is yellow, and there is a black spot above the tail gland. The word "hoary" means having white or silvery color, which refers to the white hairs in the otherwise gray coat of these animals. The fur is short.

Hoary foxes have a small skull, with reduced carnassials and broad molars. Total body length is approximately 60 cm, with an average tail length of about 32 cm. Adult body weights range from 2.7 to 4 kg.

A closely relatd species, L. culpaeus , shows a positive, slight sexual dimorphism, with males being 5% larger than females. This is comparible to values reported for other foxes. Although such dimorphism has not been reported for L. vetulus , this evidnece suggests that slight sexual dimorphism in hoary foxes exists.

• Other Physical Features
• endothermic endothermic
• homoiothermic
• bilateral symmetry bilateral symmetry

• Sexual Dimorphism
• male larger

Reproduction

This species is monogamous, as are many fox species.

• Mating System
• monogamous monogamous

Breeding occurs in early fall. The gestation period is about two months, after which time the female gives birth to a litter of 2 to 4 kits. Hoary foxes often use abandoned armadillo dens for rearing their pups.

• Key Reproductive Features
• iteroparous iteroparous
• seasonal breeding seasonal breeding
• gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
• sexual sexual
• fertilization fertilization
• viviparous viviparous

Parental care in this species is not well documented. However, as is the case with most canids, the young are likely to be altricial. They are born in the den and remain there until they are able to venture out on their own. The mother undoubtedly provides her young with milk, grooming, and protection. Although the role of the father has not been documented for this species, in many other foxes, pups are cared for by both males and females. Because this species is monogamous, it is likely that the male plays some role in caring for the young.

• Parental Investment
• no parental involvement
• altricial altricial
• pre-fertilization
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-hatching/birth
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-weaning/fledging
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-independence
  • provisioning
    • male
    • female
  • protecting
    • male
    • female

Lifespan/Longevity

Hoary fox lifespans have not been recorded.

Behavior

Hoary foxes are usually timid, but will aggressively defend their young. They normally use armadillo burrows for dens and are usually diurnal, but are often active at night and during twilight.

Behavior in related species suggests that hoary foxes are territorial. Parents often travel with their adult sized offspring, and conflict over territory arises between parent and offspring during the dry season.

• Key Behaviors
• cursorial
• terricolous
• diurnal diurnal
• nocturnal nocturnal
• crepuscular crepuscular
• motile motile
• sedentary sedentary
• territorial territorial
• social social

Home Range

Home range size is unkown.

Communication and Perception

Communication in hoary foxes is unknown, but is probably similar to other species of foxes.

• Communication Channels
• visual visual
• tactile tactile
• acoustic acoustic
• chemical chemical

• Other Communication Modes
• scent marks scent marks

• Perception Channels
• visual visual
• tactile tactile
• acoustic acoustic
• chemical chemical

Food Habits

Hoary foxes are omnivores, but they appear to be termite specialists. Termites of the genus Syntermes are their main food source and is found in about 89.5% of its feces. They feed on this termite year round. The other foods eaten by hoary foxes include rodents, fruit, grasshoppers, and dung beetles.

The diet of P. vetulus varies seasonally. Termites and small mammals make up the majority of their diet during the dry season, and other insects and fruit make up the majority during the wet season. The unique dental structure of this species allows these animals to eat small items. Their reduced carnassials and broad molars are good for crunching up an insectivorous diet.

Physical features of hoary foxes suggest adaptation to its habitat. A food niche separation mechanism between this species and other wild canids in that region has probably caused the dietary shift in this species to termites, as well as their small muzzel and dentition.

• Primary Diet
• omnivore omnivore

• Animal Foods
• birds
• mammals
• reptiles
• insects
• terrestrial non-insect arthropods

• Plant Foods
• fruit

Predation

There is little information on predation of hoary foxes. However, it is parasitized by the vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus . It should be noted, however, that these bats do not kill the animals upon which they feed, so it isn't a predator in the traditional sense.

Ecosystem Roles

Hoary foxes are generalist predators. They affect populations of small rodents and termites.

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

Close relatives of the hoary fox are fur-bearers, and pelts of this species are likely collected as well. In addition, these animals are sometimes found in zoos.

• Positive Impacts
• body parts are source of valuable material
• research and education
• controls pest population

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

Hoary foxes are hosts for many diseases, some of which can be transmitted to domestic dogs, and some to humans. Also, hoary zorros are suspected of killing poultry and are therefore hunted.

• Negative Impacts
• injures humans
  • carries human disease
• causes or carries domestic animal disease causes or carries domestic animal disease

Conservation Status

Hoary foxes are listed as data deficient by IUCN. Changes in agricultural practices may result in habitat loss. Deforestation and hunting are also threats to this species.

Other Comments

Hoary foxes have many common and scientific names such as, small-toothed dog, Lycalopex vetulus , Pseudalopex vetulus , and Dusicyon vetulus .

Additional Links

Encyclopedia of Life

Contributors

Nancy Shefferly (editor), Animal Diversity Web.

Erik Olson (author), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Chris Yahnke (editor), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

References

Almeida, E., E. Moreira, L. Naveda, G. Herrmann. APR 2002. Combat of "Desmondus rotundus rotundus" (E. Geofroy, 1810) in the Cordisburgo and Curvelo carstic region, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Arquivo Brasilerio De Medicina Veterinaria Zootecnia , 54 (2): 117-126. Accessed 12/04.02 at http://www.webofscience.com/CIW.cgi .

Dalponte, J. 1997. Diet of the hoary fox, "Lycalopex vetulus", in Mato Grosso, Central Brazil. Mammalia , 61 (4): 537-546.

Eisenberg, J., K. Redford. 1999. Mammals of the Neotropics . Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press.

Lima , W., M. Guimaraes , I. Lemos . 1994. Occurrence of Angiostrongylus-Vasorum in the Lungs of the Brazilian Fox, "Dusicyon vetulus". Journal of Helminthology , 68 (1): 87-87.

MacDonald, D., O. Courtenay. JUN 1996. Enduring social relationships in a population of crab-eating zorros, "Cerdocyon thous", in Amazonian Brazil (Carnivora, Canidae). Journal of Zoology , 239: 329-355.

McDonald, D. 2001. The Encyclopedia of Mammals . New York: Barnes and Noble.

McGlynn, M., R. Postanowicz. 2002. "Hoary Zorro ("Dusicyon vetulus")" (On-line ). Lion Crusher's Domain. Accessed 10/02/02 at http://www.lioncrusher.com/animal.asp?animal=20 .

Nowak, R. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World . Baltimore and London: John Hopkins University Press.

Rylands, A. 1998. "Hoary Zorro ("Dusicyon vetulus")" (On-line ). Canid Species Accounts. Accessed 10/02/02 at http://www.canids.org/SPPACCTS/dvetulus.htm .

Travaini, A., J. Juste, A. Novaro, A. Capurro. 2000. Sexual dimorphism and sex identification in the South American culpeo fox, "Pseudalopex culpaeu", (Carnivora: Canidae). Wildlife Research , 27 (6): 669-674.

Wayne, R., S. O'Brien. 1987. Allozyme Divergance Within the Canidae. Systematic Zoology , 36 (4): 342: 339-355.