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^[1] and considered a basal canid species.^[4] Fossil records indicate this canid first appeared during the middle Pleistocene.^[5]

It is named for its large ears, which have a role in thermoregulation.^[3] 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.^[6] Although not commonly used, other vernacular names include big-eared fox, black-eared fox, long-eared fox,^[7] Delalande's fox, cape fox,^{[note 1]}^[8] and motlosi.^[3]

^ ^a ^b Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Order Carnivora". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
^ Hoffmann, M. (2014). "Otocyon megalotis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T15642A46123809. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T15642A46123809.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c Cite error: The named reference Clark2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Ancestry was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Potts, R.; Deino, A. (1995). "Mid-Pleistocene Change in Large Mammal Faunas of East Africa". Quaternary Research. 43 (1): 106–113. Bibcode:1995QuRes..43..106P. doi:10.1006/qres.1995.1010. ISSN 0033-5894. S2CID 128684576.
^ Skinner, J. D.; Chimimba, Christian T. (2005). The Mammals of the Southern African Sub-region. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-84418-5.
^ Miller, W.T. (1972). The Flesh-eaters: A Guide to the Carnivorous Animals of Southern Africa. Purnell. ISBN 978-0-360-00166-4.
^ Robinson, Stephanie. "Draft Terms of Reference – Bat-eared Fox" (PDF). p. 30.

Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).

[msw3-1] Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Order Carnivora". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.

[iucn_status_11_November_2021-2] Hoffmann, M. (2014). "Otocyon megalotis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T15642A46123809. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T15642A46123809.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.

[Clark2005-3] Cite error: The named reference Clark2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Ancestry-4] Cite error: The named reference Ancestry was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Potts&Deino-5] Potts, R.; Deino, A. (1995). "Mid-Pleistocene Change in Large Mammal Faunas of East Africa". Quaternary Research. 43 (1): 106–113. Bibcode:1995QuRes..43..106P. doi:10.1006/qres.1995.1010. ISSN 0033-5894. S2CID 128684576.

[Skinner&Chimimba-6] Skinner, J. D.; Chimimba, Christian T. (2005). The Mammals of the Southern African Sub-region. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-84418-5.

[7] Miller, W.T. (1972). The Flesh-eaters: A Guide to the Carnivorous Animals of Southern Africa. Purnell. ISBN 978-0-360-00166-4.

[Robinson-9] Robinson, Stephanie. "Draft Terms of Reference – Bat-eared Fox" (PDF). p. 30.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[note 1]

[8]

Bat-eared fox^[1]

Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)^[2]
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^[3]
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