Vulpes Frisch, 1754

TEDFORD R. H., WANG X. & TAYLOR B. E., 2009, Phylogenetic Systematics Of The North American Fossil Caninae (Carnivora: Canidae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2009 (325), pp. 1-218 : 47-48

Vulpes Frisch, 1754

Fennecus Desmarest, 1804 .

Megalotis Illiger, 1811.

Vulpis Gray, 1821 .

Alopex Kaup, 1829 .

Cynalopex H. Smith, 1839 .

Leucocyon Gray, 1868 .

Mamvulpesus Herrera, 1899 .

Xenalopex Kretzoi, 1954 .

Type Species: Canis vulpes Linnaeus,

1758.

Included North American Species: V. stenognathus Savage, 1941 ; V. kernensis , n. sp.; V. vulpes (Linnaeus), 1758 ; V. lagopus (Linnaeus), 1758 ; V. velox (Say), 1823 ; V. macrotis Merriam, 1888 .

Distribution in North America: Early Hemphillian to Recnt, coterminous United States; Rancholabrean to Recent, Alaska and Canada; late Hemphillian to Recent, Mexico.

Revised Diagnosis: Vulpes differs from Leptocyon in the following features that constitute synapomorphies with all higher Caninae : medial cusplet on I3 absent; zygoma strongly arched in lateral view; metatarsal I reduced to proximal rudiment; humerus lacks entepicondylar foramen. Vulpes shares three synapomorphies with other Vulpini : broad paroccipital process; M1 parastyle very weak and separated from preparacrista; and symplesiomorphic presence of M2 metaconule and associated postprotocrista. Short nasals that rarely extend to level of most posterior position of maxillary-frontal suture is autapomorphic (this feature appears as a homoplasy in a number of Canis species ).

Discussion: The distinction between Leptocyon and Vulpes , as indicated above, has long been a problem due to the fact that species of Vulpes show many primitive features such as: frontal sinus usually absent, expressed in unelevated frontals with depression creasing dorsal surface of the postorbital process; relatively low-crowned upper molars with subequal paracone and metacone; welldeveloped labial cingulum on M1 and M2; narrow angular process of the mandible often with hooklike termination; and a relatively short radius relative to tibia length.

Evidence now at hand shows that Vulpes can be distinguished from Leptocyon on the basis of the derived states of several characters. The above diagnosis indicates important morphological features of Vulpes that are derived with respect to Leptocyon . The following characters further separate these taxa: relatively larger m1 entoconid; tendency for the m1 entoconid and hypoconid to join at the base or to be linked by a transverse crest; further reduction of parastyle on M1 and M2; more distinct M1 protocone and metaconule; expanded braincase, without cerebellar exposure; and markedly wider postorbital constriction.

Only two species of Vulpes are recognized during the late Miocene (Hemphillian). A small species, V. kernensis , about the size of V. velox (fig. 23A–D), is known only from California. V. stenognathus has a widespread geographic distribution that extends from the Pacific Coast across the Great Basin and Great Plains to Florida. Pliocene records of Vulpes in North America are surprisingly rare and are restricted to a few specimens described below from the Blancan of the southern Great Plains. Small Vulpes specimens that we report from the early Irvingtonian of Nebraska represent the earliest Pleistocene records of the genus. These compare favorably with those of V. velox . Such foxes remain the sole representatives of the genus through the early and medial Pleistocene of North America until Vulpes vulpes and V. lagopus appear in the late Pleistocene.