Nyctereutes

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Raccoon dog
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Nyctereutes
Ma
Late Miocene - recent
Common and Japanese raccoon dog
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Subfamily: Caninae
Genus: Nyctereutes
Temminck, 1838[2]
Type species
Canis viverrinus
Species

N. procyonoides
N. viverrinus

Nyctereutes (Greek: nyx, nykt- "night" + ereutēs "wanderer") is a

northern China. It was one of the earliest canines to arrive in the Old World. All but two species became extinct before the end of the Pleistocene. A study suggests that the evolution of Nyctereutes was influenced by environmental and climatic changes, such as the expansion and contraction of forests and the fluctuations of temperature and precipitation.[3]

Nyctereutes megamastoides fossil skull

Characteristics

They are typically recognized by their short snouts, round crania and the shaping of their molars, specifically the ratio between M1 and M2. Nyctereutes is considered mainly an opportunistic carnivore, feeding on small mammals, fish, birds, and insects, alongside occasional plants, specifically roots. Their diet is mostly influenced by environmental factors.[3] Japanese raccoon dogs are considered distinct from the mainland species because of the larger skull size found in Russian and Hokkaido raccoon dogs.[4]

Species

Extant species

Genus NyctereutesTemminck, 1838 – two species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Common raccoon dog

Nyctereutes procyonoides

(Gray, 1834)

Four subspecies
  • N. p. procyonoides
  • N. p. koreensis
  • N. p. orestes
  • N. p. ussuriensis
Mongolia, Russian Far East, China, Korea, Vietnam; introduced to Europe
Map of range
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


Japanese raccoon dog

Nyctereutes viverrinus

(Temminck, 1838)
Japan Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


Fossil species

References

  1. ^
    OCLC 62265494
    .
  2. ^ Temminck, C.J. (1838). "Over de Kennis en de Verbreiding der Zoogdieren van Japan" [On the Knowledge and Dissemination of the Mammals of Japan]. Tijdschrift voor Natuurlijke Geschiedenis en Physiologie (in Dutch). 5: 273–293.
  3. ^
    S2CID 225565692
    .
  4. .
  5. ^ Paleobiology Database: ''Nyctereutes abdeslami basic info.
  6. S2CID 83954055
    .
  7. ^ Paleobiology Database: ''Nyctereutes sinensis basic info.

Further reading

  • Wayne, Robert K. (June 1993). "Molecular evolution of the dog family". Trends in Genetics. 9 (6): 218–224.
    PMID 8337763
    .