Canids of the World: Wolves, Wild Dogs, Foxes, Jackals, Coyotes, and Their Relatives
336
Canids of the World: Wolves, Wild Dogs, Foxes, Jackals, Coyotes, and Their Relatives
336Paperback
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Overview
This stunningly illustrated and easy-to-use field guide covers every species of the world’s canids, from the Gray Wolf of North America to the dholes of Asia, from African jackals to the South American Bush Dog. It features more than 150 superb color plates depicting every kind of canid and detailed facing-page species accounts that describe key identification features, morphology, distribution, subspeciation, habitat, and conservation status in the wild. The book also includes distribution maps and tips on where to observe each species, making Canids of the World the most comprehensive and user-friendly guide to these intriguing and spectacular mammals.
- Covers every species and subspecies of canid
- Features more than 150 color plates with more than 600 photos from around the globe
- Depicts species in similar poses for quick and easy comparisons
- Describes key identification features, habitat, behavior, reproduction, and much more
- Draws on the latest taxonomic research
- Includes distribution maps and tips on where to observe each species
- The ideal field companion and a delight for armchair naturalists
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780691176857 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Princeton University Press |
| Publication date: | 09/11/2018 |
| Series: | Princeton Field Guides , #116 |
| Pages: | 336 |
| Sales rank: | 540,183 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
South American Canids
MANED WOLF, BUSH DOG, SHORT-EARED DOG, SOUTH AMERICAN FOXES
RECOGNITION South American endemic Canids form a phylogenetically independent group. It includes the Maned Wolf, Bush Dog, Short-Eared Dog, Crab-Eating Fox and the six species of Lycalopex (South American Foxes). This group is more closely related to Wolf-like Canids than to Foxes. Most South American Canids can be described as Fox-like, but vary considerably in size and morphology. There is little size dimorphism between males and females. Several species are morphologically atypical, compared to most Canids, such as the extremely long-legged Maned Wolf, or the short-legged Bush Dog. They exhibit the typical Canid dental formula, I 3/3, C 1/1, P 4/4, M 2/3 = 42, except Bush Dogs, which have 38 or 40 teeth and trenchant heel dentition. Chromosome number is 2n=74, except for the Maned Wolf and Short-Eared Dog (2n=76), and there are no "marker chromosomes," a generalized characteristic in the Carnivora and an ancestral character in other Canids.
PHYLOGENY After being confined to North America for a period of about 30 million years, Canid lineages spread across the world, invading the Old World in the late Miocene (ca. 10 Ma) and arriving in South America much later, in the late Pliocene (ca. 42.5 Ma). This migration to South America generated a great diversity of species, represented by six living genera, mainly small to medium-sized omnivorous Canids, and several extinct species that included large hypercarnivorous forms. The large hypercarnivorous taxa were particularly well represented in the past, with two endemic genera (Theriodictis and Protocyon) and three species that have been included in Canis. Phylogenetic and molecular studies, as well as some fossil records, suggest that at least three or four independent lineages of the South American clade invaded South America after the rise of the Panama Bridge (ca. 4–2.5 Ma), pointing to an origin outside SouthAmerica for this group. Canids from other clades, Urocyon and Canis dirus, invaded this continent at least during the late Pleistocene, and Domestic Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) were introduced by aborigines in the Holocene.
BEHAVIOR Most South American Canids are solitary animals, forming pairs only during the breeding season, but the Bush Dog forms social groups. Lycalopex and the Maned Wolf are monoestrous, while the Bush Dog is polyestrous. Crab-Eating Fox females produce two litters annually. The reproductive status of the Short-Eared Dog is unknown. This group has omnivorous habits, but the Bush Dog is strictly carnivorous.
DISTRIBUTION This group is endemic to South America. Maned Wolves are found in S Brazil, Paraguay, Peru and Bolivia east of the Andes. Bush Dogs are found from S Panama through much of South America E of the Andes, as far S as central Bolivia, Paraguay, and S Brazil. Short-Eared Dog is endemic to the Amazon basin. Crab-Eating Fox is endemic to the central part of South America. Hoary Fox is endemic to the cerrado biome and adjacent areas in central Brazil. Sechuran Fox occurs on the Pacific coast of Peru and Ecuador. Darwin's Fox is endemic to coastal Chile. Pampas Fox is currently thought to range from E Bolivia and W Paraguay to central Argentina and S Brazil. Chilla Fox is widespread in areas of plains and mountains on both sides of the Andes, from S Peru and N Chile south to the Strait of Magellan, and was introduced by humans onto the island of Tierra del Fuego in 1953. Culpeo Fox is distributed along the Andes and hilly regions of W South America, from S Colombia to Tierra del Fuego. South American Canids are found in every habitat on the continent, from the coastal deserts, to the open savanna, rain forests, and coastal and lowland forests.
CONSERVATION Nearly every species in this group requires careful monitoring and individual consideration. Little is known about the abundance and distribution of most species. The Maned Wolf is Near Threatened and already extinct in Uruguay; conservation interest has resulted in legal protection in Brazil and Argentina, but specific action has yet to be implemented, and significant population declines are expected to occur because of continuing habitat loss and degradation. The poorly known ShortEared Dog is also listed as Near Threatened, and is known to be at risk from diseases transferred from Domestic Dogs and habitat loss; no comprehensive ecological research has been carried out on this species. The status of the Bush Dog is difficult to determine because of its natural rarity and elusive, nomadic nature; it is a social predator that requires healthy populations of small and mid-sized vertebrate prey, and its persistence depends on the protection of large, connected areas of grassland, woodland, and shrub-dominated lowland where Domestic Dogs and vehicle traffic are minimal. Darwin's Fox is Endangered, with only two small remnant populations containing fewer than 250 individuals; the initial assumption that it was a subspecies of the Chilla Fox contributed to a lack of conservation or captive breeding efforts. The Crab-Eating Fox and Lycalopex Foxes seem tolerant of habitat degradation and remain widespread and common. The Pampas Fox, however, is heavily persecuted because of its perceived predation on livestock.
Maned Wolf
CHRYSOCYON BRACHYURUS
BL: 95-125 cm. TL: 30-45 cm. H: 74-91 cm. W: 20-25 kg. SL: 24.8 cm. SW: 13.3 cm. DF: 42. CN: 76. A large and very distinctive Canid, with extremely long legs. It is the largest South American Canid. Coat is thick and soft, orange brown to reddish golden on the back and sides, lacking underfur. Throat is white. Mouth, base of the neck, and legs are black. Head is small in proportion to the body, with a long, Fox-like muzzle. Ears are large, straight and tent-shaped, white inside. Eyes are large and slanting, brown in color, with round pupils. Visible erectile black mane on the nape of the neck and back. Limbs are exceptionally long and thin. Tail is proportionally short and wide, ending in a white tuft. Females are similar in appearance to males. Young are brownish gray or black.
OTHER NAMESFrench: Loup à crinière. German: Mähnenwolf. Spanish: Boroche, lobo de crin. Russian: [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.]. Portuguese: Lobo guará. Guaraní: Aguaraguazú.
TAXONOMY Monotypic. Includes campestris, cancrosa and jubatus, which are not considered valid. It is most closely related to the genus Lycalopex. Despite its name, it is not related to other Wolves.
REPRODUCTIONGestation: 62-66 days. Young per birth: 2-5. Weaning: 105-180 days. Sexual maturity: 1-2 years. Life span: 12-16 years in captivity. Breeding season: Mating between April and June in Brazil, with most births occurring from June to September, in dens made in tall grass or thickets. From July to August in Paraguay, and from October to February in Europe and North America, in captivity. [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.] are monoestrous and may copulate several times during an estrus of about 5 days. [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.] provide milk and later regurgitated food for the growing pups. [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.] play an important role in pup care.
BEHAVIORSocial behavior: Solitary, monogamous pairs sharing a territory but only meeting during the breeding season. Diet: Omnivorous generalist, including the lobeira fruit (Solanum lycocarpum), and small to medium mammals (paca, rabbits, armadillo, rodents), but also birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. Main predators: Cougar, jaguar. Crepuscular or nocturnal, spending a great deal of the day asleep hidden in vegetation; increased daytime activity is seen in areas with low levels of human disturbance. They are territorial, with little tolerance for conspecifics outside their breeding pair. Unlike other large Canids, they do not hunt cooperatively. Large home ranges (25 km2 to over 80 km2). Scent marking and roarbark vocalizations are used to communicate and keep boundaries. Their call is a long deep-throated bark, which is repeated at intervals of around 7 seconds. Deposits of feces are used as markers to deter intruders. When individuals do have encounters, they circle one another warily and each tries to intimidate the other. They raise the long darker fur on their shoulders and neck to give an impression of greater size. Their long legs enable them to see above the tall grass, an adaptation that helps them hunt for food and avoid predators.
DISTRIBUTIONNative: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru. Possibly extinct: Uruguay. Past range extended from the N tip of Brazil, along the edge of the Amazon Basin, S into the N parts of Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay. Today, it is more restricted and can be found in central and E Brazil, NE Argentina and Paraguay. It is extinct or surviving in very low numbers in E Bolivia and Uruguay.
HABITAT Tall grasslands, shrubs, woodlands with open canopy (cerrado) and wet fields (Pantanal), which may be seasonally flooded. Also present in cultivated lands and where the rain forest has been cut down and replaced by conifer and Eucalyptus plantations. Not found at high altitudes or in rain forest.
CONSERVATION STATUS Near Threatened. CITES: Appendix II. Regional status: Vulnerable (Brazil), Endangered (Argentina). Found in low densities throughout the range. Estimated population of 15,000 animals in 2012, mostly in Brazil.
PHOTO CREDITSEmmanuel Keller, Zoo d'Amnéville (France); Anan Kaewkhammul, Chiang Mai Night Safari (Thailand); fraxprax; Thomas-Uwe Maassen, Dortmund Zoo (Germany). Young: Janice Sveda, Smithsonian's National Zoo (USA); Arjan Haverkamp, Diergaarde Blijdorp (Netherlands).
Bush Dog
SPEOTHOS VENATICUS
BL: 57-75 cm. TL: 11-15 cm. H: 20-30 cm. W: 4-10 kg. SL: 12.4 cm. SW: 7.6 cm. DF: 38-40. CN: 74. A small to medium-sized, very distinctive Canid, with an elongated body, short limbs and short bushy tail, interdigital membranes and small rounded ears. Coat color ranges from uniform dark brown to yellowish red, with lighter color on neck, nape of neck and ears. Underparts and limbs are darker. Head is broad, bear- or mustelid-like, with a lighter reddish tinge, and no facial markings. Eyes are small, brown in color, with elliptical pupils. Muzzle is short and broad. Front feet broad with partial webbing between the toes. Tail is dark brown in color, very short and well furred but not bushy, often held upright. Young are uniformly black.
OTHER NAMES Vinegar Dog, Savannah Dog. French: Chien des buissons. German: Waldhund. Spanish: Zorro vinagre, perrito venadero, cachorro vinagre, guanfando, perrito de monte, perro de agua, perro grullero, umba, zorro pitoco. Russian: [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.]. Portuguese: Cachorro-do-mato. Guaraní: Jagua yuyguy.
TAXONOMY S. v. venaticus: darker subspecies, found in S Colombia and Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname, most of Brazil, E Ecuador and Peru, Bolivia, N Paraguay; S. v. panamensis: smaller subspecies, found in Panama, N Colombia and Venezuela, W Ecuador; and S. v. wingei: S Brazil and Paraguay, NE Argentina.
SIMILAR SPECIES Short-Eared Dog has larger legs and tail, darker pelage around head and neck, and a Fox-like head.
REPRODUCTIONGestation: 63-83 days. Young per birth: 1-6. Weaning: 30-48 days. Sexual maturity: 10 months ([TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.]), 12 months ([TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.]). Life span: 10 years in captivity. Breeding season: Probably throughout the year, with most births occurring during the wet season; estrus lasts up to 12 days, and occurs every 15 to 44 days. Mating includes a copulatory tie, during which the animals are locked together. Only the alpha [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.] breeds successfully, and all other group members guard the young. Young are born blind and helpless, the eyes opening after 14-19 days, and the pups first emerge from the den shortly thereafter. Pack members help raise pups by provisioning mothers at the den during nursing.
BEHAVIORSocial behavior: Small packs from 2 to 12 animals, consisting of a mated pair and their immediate young; they sleep in groups. Diet: Exclusively carnivorous: small mammals (paca, agouti, capybara, armadillo); reptiles and birds are also taken. Main predators: Cougar, jaguar. The most social South American Canid. Urine marking may be important for maintenance of pair-bonds. Although they can hunt alone, they are usually found in small packs. Mostly diurnal, sleeping in burrows overnight, but may hunt at night; they use hollow logs and cavities such as armadillo burrows for shelter. Home ranges from 3.8 to 10 km2. They have partially webbed toes, which allow them to swim more efficiently. They are more reliant on olfactory communication than visual communication due to their morphology and habitat. Vocalizations facilitate communication in dense vegetation, and include whinest, grunts, growls and barks.
DISTRIBUTIONNative: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela. Found from extreme E Central America and N South America, S to Paraguay and NE Argentina (Misiones). Isolated subpopulations may also still occur in Ecuador and Colombia, W of the Andes. It may still survive in Costa Rica.
HABITAT Habitat generalist, occurring generally near small water streams (semi-aquatic). Observed in lowland, primary and gallery forest, semi-deciduous forest, and seasonally flooded forest.
CONSERVATION STATUS Near Threatened. CITES: Appendix I. Regional status: Vulnerable (Brazil), Critically Endangered (Argentina). Although widespread, it is rare throughout its range, and hard to observe in the wild. Estimated population of fewer than 15,000 mature individuals.
PHOTO CREDITSUlli Joerres, Randers Tropical Zoo (Denmark); John R. Chandler and Martyn Richardson, Twycross Zoo (UK); Cherri Sample, Zoo Atlanta (USA); Russell Harvey, Sequoia Park Zoo (USA); Lukas Blazek, Zoo Praha (Czech Republic).
Short-Eared Dog
ATELOCYNUS MICROTIS
BL: 61-100 cm. TL: 25-35 cm. H: 25-36 cm. W: 6.5-10 kg. SL: 14.7 cm. SW: 8.9 cm. DF: 42. CN: 74-76. A medium-sized Canid, with short and slender limbs, stocky and compact body, and short and rounded ears. Coat is short and uniformly colored, ranging from black to brown to rufous gray, often darkest in a dorsal line from head to tail. Inconspicuous narrow black collar. Reddish individuals have been observed, and it is not clear whether color varies with age, habitat or molt. Underparts are the same dark color as the body, except for the inguinal region where the hair is lighter. Head is Fox-like, with a long, slender muzzle. Ears are a rufous color both internally and externally, rounded and relatively short. Paws are partly webbed. Tail is bushy, compared to the short pelage on the rest of the body, with a dark mid-dorsal band of thick erectile hairs and light-colored underside. Females may be larger than males.
OTHER NAMES Short-Eared Fox, Small-Eared Dog. French: Renard á petites oreilles, chien des buissons aux oreilles courtes. German: Kurzohrfuchs, Kurzohrhund. Spanish: Zorro de orejas cortas, perro de monte, perro selvático, zorro negro, zorro ojizarco. Italian: Volpe dalle orecchie corte. Russian: [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.]. Portuguese: Cachorro-do-mato-de-orelhas-curtas, raposa-de-orelhas-pequenas. Guaraní: Aguerau. Ayoreo: Divequena. Yucuna: Uálaqua. Huitoto: Urúbui. Carijona: Kerejuqué. Okaima: Juhxuutsoona. Barasana: Buyaíro.
TAXONOMY Monotypic. Two subspecies have been traditionally described: A. m. microtis (Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia), and A. m. sclateri (Patagonia, S Chile, Argentina), but this distinction is not generally recognized. Formerly placed in the genera Lycalopex, Cerdocyon and Dusicyon, but phylogenetic analysis has shown it to be a distinct taxon most closely related to another monotypic Neotropical Canid, the Bush Dog.
SIMILAR SPECIES Bush Dog also inhabits lowland Amazonian forest, is smaller, light colored, with a very short muzzle, legs and tail, lives in packs, and is seldom seen alone. Crab-Eating Fox, Culpeo Fox and Domestic Dog could potentially be mistaken, but none of these have the combination of a slender, long snout, short ears, and a bushy tail. Tayra (Eira barbara) are also brownish and have bushy tails, but differ in their much smaller ears, yellowish throat and mostly arboreal habits. Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yaguarondi) may be similar in color, but is smaller, more delicate, and has a very slender tail.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Canids of the World"
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Copyright © 2018 José R. Castelló.
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Table of Contents
FOREWORD 5
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 7
INTRODUCTION 8
SOUTH AMERICAN CANIDS 28
Maned Wolf, Bush Dog, Short-Eared Dog, and South American Foxes
WOLF-LIKE CANIDS 74
Wolves, Jackals, Coyotes, Dhole, African Dog, and Domestic Dog
RED FOX-LIKE CANIDS 172
True Foxes, Bat-Eared Fox, and Raccoon Dog
GRAY FOX-LIKE CANIDS 274
Gray Fox and Island Fox
SKULLS 310
GLOSSARY 316
REFERENCES 319
INDEX 329
What People are Saying About This
“José Castelló has put together a beautiful book on the world’s canids.”—Roland Kays, author of Candid Creatures: How Camera Traps Reveal the Mysteries of Nature“This is a remarkably comprehensive and visually stunning field guide. I would not have thought it possible to catalog the Canidae in such photographic detail.”—Luke Hunter, author of Carnivores of the World
