The gray fox (Urocyon. Or grey fox, is a carnivorous. PubMed Identifier – PubMed is a free search engine accessing primarily the MEDLINE database of.

() Kingdom: Phylum: Class: Order: Family: Genus: Species: U. cinereoargenteus Urocyon cinereoargenteus (, 1775) Gray fox range The gray fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus), or grey fox, is a of the family, widespread throughout northern and central America. This species and its only, the diminutive ( Urocyon littoralis), are the only living members of the, which is considered to be the most of the living canids.

Though it was once the most common in the eastern, and still is found there, human advancement and deforestation allowed the to become more dominant. The still have the gray fox as a dominant, it is the only American canid that can climb trees. Its cinereoargenteus means ' silver'. Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • Description [ ] The gray fox is mainly distinguished from most other by its grizzled upper parts, black-tipped tail and strong neck, while the skull can be easily distinguished from all other North American canids by its widely separated temporal ridges that form a U-shape.

There is little sexual dimorphism, save for the females being slightly smaller than males, the gray fox ranges from 76 to 112.5 cm (29.9 to 44.3 in) in total length. The tail measures 27.5 to 44.3 cm (10.8 to 17.4 in) of that length and its hind feet measure 100 to 150 mm (3.9 to 5.9 in). The gray fox typically weighs 3.6 to 7 kg (7.9 to 15.4 lb), though exceptionally can weigh as much as 9 kg (20 lb). It is readily differentiated from the by the lack of 'black stockings' that stand out on the latter and the stripe of black hair that runs along the middle of the tail as well as individual guard hairs being banded with white, gray, and black, the gray fox displays white on the ears, throat, chest, belly and hind legs. In contrast to all and related (Arctic and fennec) foxes, the gray fox has oval (instead of slit-like) pupils. The dental formula of the U. Cinereoargenteus is 3.1.4.2 3.1.4.3 = 42.

Origin and genetics [ ]. Gray fox kit at the in The gray fox appeared in North America during the mid- (Hemphillian land animal age) epoch million years ago () with the first fossil evidence found at the lower 111 Ranch site, with contemporary mammals like the, the elephant-like, the, and the early small horses of and. Genetic analyses of the fox-like canids confirmed that the gray fox is a distinct genus from the red foxes ( Vulpes spp.).

Genetically, the gray fox often clusters with two other ancient lineages, the east Asian ( Nyctereutes procyonoides) and the African ( Otocyon megalotis). The chromosome number is 66 (diploid) with a fundamental number of 70, the autosomes include 31 pairs of sub-graded subacrocentrics, but one only pair of metacentrics. Faunal remains at two northern California cave sites confirm the presence of the gray fox during the late.

Genetic analysis has shown that the gray fox migrated into the northeastern United States post-Pleistocene in association with the warming trend. Recent mitochondrial genetic studies suggests divergence of North American eastern and western gray foxes in the Irvingtonian mid-Pleistocene into separate sister taxa. The gray fox's dwarf relative, the, is likely descended from mainland gray foxes, these foxes apparently were transported by humans to the islands and from island to island, and are descended from a minimum of 3–4 founders. The is considered to be the most of the living canids. Finding Nemo Movie Free Download In Hindi 3gp. Distribution and habitat [ ] The species occurs throughout most rocky, wooded, brushy regions of the southern half of from southern to the northern part of ( and ), excluding the mountains of northwestern United States. It is the only canid whose natural range spans both North and South America; in some areas, high populkation densities exist near brush-covered bluffs.

Behavior [ ]. A yawning gray fox, northern Florida The gray fox's ability to climb trees is shared only with the Asian among canids, its strong, hooked claws allow it to scramble up trees to escape many predators, such as the or the, or to reach tree-bound or arboreal food sources. It can climb branchless, vertical trunks to heights of 18 meters and jump from branch to branch, it descends primarily by jumping from branch to branch, or by descending slowly backwards as a would do. The gray fox is primarily or and makes its den in hollow trees, stumps or appropriated burrows during the day, such gray fox tree dens may be located 30 ft above the ground. Prior to European colonization of North America, the red fox was found primarily in boreal forest and the gray fox in deciduous forest, but now the red fox is dominant in most of the eastern United States since they are the more adaptable species to development and urbanization; in areas where both red and gray foxes exist, the gray fox is dominant.