Living Beings
    Source-identified Cerdocyon thous; documentary image Framed for display
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    Cerdocyon thous - Jan Ebr and Ivana Ebrová - 284951055.jpeg · Resized and converted to WebP for display. Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová · CC BY 4.0

    Field guide · species

    Crab-eating Fox

    Cerdocyon thous

    AnimaliaMammaliaCarnivoraCanidae

    The crab-eating fox is a South American omnivore with a much broader diet than its common name suggests. It belongs to Cerdocyon rather than the true fox genus Vulpes.

    Public research profile · final editorial review pending.

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    Tree of lifeScientific lineage
    1. LifeLife
    2. DomainEukaryota
    3. KingdomAnimalia
    4. PhylumChordata
    5. ClassMammalia
    6. OrderCarnivora
    7. FamilyCanidae
    8. GenusCerdocyon
    9. SpeciesCerdocyon thous
    Advanced classification

    Complete source lineage, including intermediate ranks. The standard view uses Life and the eight principal ranks.

    1. cellular organisms cellular root
    2. Eukaryota domain
    3. Opisthokonta clade
    4. Metazoa kingdom
    5. Eumetazoa clade
    6. Bilateria clade
    7. Deuterostomia clade
    8. Chordata phylum
    9. Craniata subphylum
    10. Vertebrata clade
    11. Gnathostomata clade
    12. Teleostomi clade
    13. Euteleostomi clade
    14. Sarcopterygii superclass
    15. Dipnotetrapodomorpha clade
    16. Tetrapoda clade
    17. Amniota clade
    18. Mammalia class
    19. Theria clade
    20. Eutheria clade
    21. Boreoeutheria clade
    22. Laurasiatheria superorder
    23. Carnivora order
    24. Caniformia suborder
    25. Canidae family
    26. Cerdocyon genus
    27. Cerdocyon thous species
    Open in taxonomy explorer ↗

    Physical traits

    A grizzled gray-brown coat contrasts with darker legs and reddish areas of the face and body.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Habitat and range

    Savannas, woodland edges and varied covered landscapes can be used.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Diet and nutrition

    Small vertebrates, invertebrates, fruit and carrion are eaten. Crabs can be important in some places without defining every population’s diet.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Behavior and activity

    Pairs may travel together while searching independently for food. Activity is commonly concentrated during nighttime hours.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Geographic distribution

    The Mammal Diversity Database v2.5 records this species in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Evidence

    Sources

    Connected life

    No reviewed ecological connections in the collection yet.

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