Cozumel fox

Cozumel fox
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Urocyon
Species: (undescribed species)
Cozumel Fox range

The Cozumel fox is an undescribed species of fox in the genus Urocyon, which is apparently close to extinction or even already extinct. It is (or was until recently) found on the island of Cozumel, Mexico.[1] The last reported sighting was in 2001, but surveys focusing on this species have not yet been carried out.[1][2] The Cozumel fox, which has not been scientifically described to date, is a dwarf form like the island fox but slightly larger, being up to three-quarters the size of the gray fox.[2] It had been isolated on the island for at least 5,000–13,000 years, and probably far longer. This would indicate that the colonization of the island of Cozumel by Urocyon predates that of humans.[2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cuarón, Alfredo D.; Martinez-Morales, Miguel Angel; McFadden, Katherine W.; Valenzuela, David; & Gompper, Matthew E. (2004). "The status of dwarf carnivores on Cozumel Island, Mexico". Biodiversity and Conservation 13 (2): 317–331. doi:10.1023/B:BIOC.0000006501.80472.cc.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Gompper, M. E.; Petrites, A. E. & Lyman, R. L. (2006). "Cozumel Island fox (Urocyon sp.) dwarfism and possible divergence history based on subfossil bones". Journal of Zoology 270 (1): 72–77. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00119.x.