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Lycalopex sechurae

Lycalopex sechurae (*)

Cladus: Eukaryota
Supergroup: Opisthokonta
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Classis: Mammalia
Subclassis: Theria
Infraclassis: Placentalia
Ordo: Carnivora
Subordo: Caniformia
Familia: Canidae
Genus: Lycalopex
Species: Lycalopex sechurae

Name

Lycalopex sechurae (Thomas, 1900)

Type locality: "Desert of Sechura, N.W. Peru. . . Sullana". [=Piura, Perú by Sheffield and Thomas, (1997)].

Synonyms

* Pseudalopex sechurae (Thomas, 1900)


References

* Thomas, O. 1900a. "The geographical races of the Tayra (Galictis barbara), with notes on abnormally coloured individuals." Annals and Magazine of Natural History, ser. 7, 5:145-148 (148).
* Lycalopex sechurae on Mammal Species of the World.
Don E. Wilson & DeeAnn M. Reeder (editors). 2005. Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed).
* IUCN link: Pseudalopex sechurae (Thomas, 1900) (Near Threatened)
* Lycalopex sechurae (Thomas, 1900) Report on ITIS


Vernacular name
English: Sechuran Fox, Peruvian Desert Fox
Français: Renard du désert austral
Polski: Lis sechura
Português: Raposa-do-deserto-peruano
Русский: Сечуранская лисица
Türkçe: Peru çöl tilkisi

The Sechuran fox (Lycalopex sechurae), also called the Peruvian desert fox or the Sechuran zorro, is a South American species of canid closely related to other South American "false" foxes or zorro, of which it is the smallest. It is found in the Sechura Desert in southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru.[1]


Description

The Sechuran fox is small for a canid, weighing 2.6 to 4.2 kilograms (5.7 to 9.3 lb), with a body length of 50 to 78 centimetres (20 to 31 in) and a tail of 27 to 34 centimetres (11 to 13 in). Its fur is gray agouti over most of the body, fading to white or cream coloured on the underparts. There are reddish brown markings on the backs of the ears, around the eyes, and on the legs. The muzzle is dark grey, and a grey band runs across the chest. Its tail is tipped with black. It has small teeth, adapted to feed on insects and dry plants, with fox-like canine teeth.[3]

The chromosome number is unknown, but probably 2n=74.

Distribution and habitat

First identified in the Sechura desert, the fox inhabits arid environments in southwestern Ecuador and western Peru, at elevations from sea level to at least 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), and possibly much higher. Within this region it has been reported from the western foothills of the Andes down to the coast, inhabiting deserts, dry forests, and beaches.[4] There are no recognised subspecies.

Several fossils of Sechuran foxes are known from the late Pleistocene of Ecuador and Peru, close to the modern range. Genetic analysis suggests that the closest living relative of the Sechuran fox is Darwin's fox, which is native to Chile.[4]

Behavior and diet

The Sechuran fox is nocturnal, and spends the daylight hours in a den dug into the ground. It is generally solitary, although occasionally seen travelling in pairs. Pups are born in October and November, although little else is known of its reproductive behavior.[5]

The fox is an opportunistic feeder, and its diet varies widely depending on the season and local habitat. It has been found to feed on seed pods, especially those of the shrub Prosopis juliflora and of caper bushes, as well as the fruit of Cordia and mito plants, and is capable of surviving on an entirely herbivorous diet when necessary. More commonly, however, it also eats insects, rodents, bird eggs, and carrion as a part of its diet.[6] It can probably survive for long periods of time without drinking, subsisting on the water in its food.[3]

Conservation

The Sechuran fox is threatened by habitat loss, which has been particularly extensive in Ecuador. They have been known to prey on local livestock, such as chickens, and are hunted both to reduce such attacks and so that their body parts can be used in local handicrafts, folk medicine, or magical rituals. The animal is considered at Low Risk in Ecuador, and hunting is not permitted in Peru without a licence. The species is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.[4]

References

^ a b Wozencraft, W. Christopher (16 November 2005). "Order Carnivora (pp. 532-628)". In Wilson, Don E., and Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols. (2142 pp.). ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
^ Asa, C., Cossíos, E.D. & Williams, R. (2008). Pseudalopex sechurae. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 06 March 2009. Database entry includes justification for why this species is listed as near threatened
^ a b Asa, C. & Cossios, E.D.. Canids: Foxes, Wolves, Jackals and Dogs. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources/Species Survival Commission Canid Specialist Group. pp. 69–72.
^ a b c Cossios, E.D. (2010). "Lycalopex sechurae (Carnivora: Canidae)". Mammalian Species 42 (1): 1–6. doi:10.1644/848.1.
^ Birdseye, C. (1956). "Observations on a domesticated Peruvian desert fox, Dusicyon". Journal of Mammalogy 37 (2): 284–287. JSTOR 1376706.
^ Asa, C. & Wallace, M.P. (1990). "Diet and activity pattern of the Sechuran desert fox (Dusicyon sechurae)". Journal of Mammalogy 71 (1): 69–72. JSTOR 1381318.

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Source: Wikipedia, Wikispecies: All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License