Bat-eared fox

Bat-eared fox
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Canidae
Subfamily:	Caninae
Genus:	Otocyon; S. Müller, 1835
Species:	O. megalotis
Binomial name
	Otocyon megalotis; (Desmarest, 1822)
Subspecies
	O. megalotis megalotis; O. megalotis virgatus;
	range
Synonyms
	Canis megalotis Desmarest, 1822; Canis lalandii Desmoulins, 1823; Otocyon caffer S. Müller, 1836; Agriodus auritus H. Smith, 1840; Otocyon virgatus Miller, 1909; Otocyon canescens Cabrera, 1910; Otocyon steinhardti Zukowsky, 1924;

The bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis) is a species of fox found on the African savanna. It is the only extant species of the genus Otocyon and considered a basal canid species. Fossil records indicate this canid first appeared during the middle Pleistocene.

It is named for its large ears, which have a role in thermoregulation. The bat referred to in its colloquial name is possibly the Egyptian slit-faced bat (Nycteris thebaica), which is abundant in the region and has very large ears. Although not commonly used, other vernacular names include big-eared fox, black-eared fox, long-eared fox, Delalande's fox, cape fox, and motlosi.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.