Lycalopex vetulus (Lund, 1842)

Common Names & General Morphology

Lycalopex vetulus, commonly called the hoary fox, has a short muzzle, small teeth, a short coat, and slender limbs.

Upper Body Coloration

Its upper body is grey, while its underside is cream or fawn.

Tail Markings

The tip of its tail is black, with a distinct dark stripe running along the upper surface of the tail; in males, this stripe may extend all the way up the back to the nape of the neck.

Extremity Coloration

The hoary fox's ears and the outer portions of its legs are reddish or tawny, and its lower jaw is black.

Melanism Occurrence

Some melanistic individuals of this species have been recorded.

Body Weight

The hoary fox is small for a fox, weighing only 3 to 4 kg (6.6 to 8.8 lb).

Body Length Measurements

It has a head and body length of 58 to 72 cm (23 to 28 in), and a tail that measures 25 to 36 cm (9.8 to 14.2 in) long.

Locomotor Adaptation

Combined with its slender build, the hoary fox's small size makes it an agile, fast-running animal.

Dental Adaptation

Its relatively weak teeth are adapted for feeding on invertebrates, rather than larger prey.

Endemic Range & Primary Habitat

The hoary fox is endemic to Brazil, and its geographic range is associated with the boundaries of the Cerrado ecosystem, at altitudes between 90 and 1,100 m.

Secondary Habitats

It can also be found in transition zones, including open habitats within the Pantanal.

Modified Habitat Use

In areas of the Atlantic Forest, the hoary fox occurs in a matrix of human-made pastures, regionally interspersed with remnants of semideciduous forest and small patches of Cerrado.

Detailed Distribution Range

Its current known range extends from northeastern and western São Paulo to northern Piauí, passing through the states of Ceará, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Goiás, Distrito Federal, Minas Gerais, Tocantins, Bahia, and it likely also lives in open regions in southern Rondônia.

Reproduction Litter Basics

For reproduction, female hoary foxes usually give birth to between two and four pups between August and September, after a gestation period of around 50 days.

Pup Sex Ratio

The sex ratio of the pups is equal between males and females.

Denning Behavior

The female prepares a den to give birth, and sometimes repurposes burrows dug by other animals.

Weaning Age

Weaning takes place when the pups are around 4 months old.

Parental Care

Both parent hoary foxes take part in rearing the pups.