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The gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), or grey fox, is an omnivorous mammal of the family Canidae, widespread throughout North America and Central America.This species and its only congener, the diminutive island fox (Urocyon littoralis) of the California Channel Islands, are the only living members of the genus Urocyon, which is considered to be genetically sister to all other living canids.
The word crepuscular derives from the Latin crepusculum ("twilight"). [3] Its sense accordingly differs from diurnal and nocturnal behavior, which respectively peak during hours of daytime and night. The distinction is not absolute, because crepuscular animals may also be active on a bright moonlit night or on a dull day.
The fennec fox (Vulpes zerda) is a small fox native to the deserts of North Africa, ranging from Western Sahara and Mauritania to the Sinai Peninsula. Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which serve to dissipate heat and listen for underground prey.
Juvenile red foxes are known as kits. Males are called tods or dogs, females are called vixens, and young are known as cubs or kits. [14] Although the Arctic fox has a small native population in northern Scandinavia, and while the corsac fox's range extends into European Russia, the red fox is the only fox native to Western Europe, and so is simply called "the fox" in colloquial British English.
For example, the Arctic fox has a white coat in winter (containing little pigment), and a brown coat in summer (containing more pigment), an example of seasonal camouflage (a polyphenism). Many animals, including mammals , birds , and amphibians , are unable to synthesize most of the pigments that colour their fur or feathers, other than the ...
The word fox comes from Old English and derives from Proto-Germanic *fuhsaz. [nb 1] This in turn derives from Proto-Indo-European *puḱ-"thick-haired, tail." [nb 2] Male foxes are known as dogs, tods, or reynards; females as vixens; and young as cubs, pups, or kits, though the last term is not to be confused with the kit fox, a distinct species.
Nocturnality is a behavior in some non-human animals characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatures generally have highly developed senses of hearing, smell, and specially adapted eyesight. [1]
Vulpes is a genus of the sub-family Caninae.The members of this genus are colloquially referred to as true foxes, meaning they form a proper clade.The word "fox" occurs in the common names of all species of the genus, but also appears in the common names of other canid species.