Chrysocyon
| Maned wolf Temporal range: 0.1–0 Ma Late – Recent |
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| A captive maned wolf at Beardsley Zoo | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Canidae |
| Subfamily: | Caninae |
| Genus: |
Chrysocyon Smith, 1839 |
| Species: | C. brachyurus |
| Binomial name | |
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Chrysocyon brachyurus (Illiger, 1815) |
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| Range of the maned wolf | |
| Synonyms | |
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Canis brachyurus, C. campestris, C. isodactylus, C. jubatus, Vulpes cancrosa |
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Canis brachyurus, C. campestris, C. isodactylus, C. jubatus, Vulpes cancrosa
The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is the largest canid of South America. Its markings resemble those of foxes, but it is not a fox, nor is it a wolf, as it is not closely related to other canids. It is the only species in the genus Chrysocyon (meaning "golden dog").
This mammal is found in open and semi-open habitats, especially grasslands with scattered bushes and trees, in south, central-west, and southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, northern Argentina, Bolivia east and north of the Andes, and far southeastern Peru (Pampas del Heath only). It is very rare in Uruguay, possibly being displaced completely through loss of habitat.IUCN lists it as near threatened, while it is considered a vulnerable species by the Brazilian government (IBAMA).
It is known locally as aguará guazú (meaning "large fox" in the Guarani language), or "kalak" by the Toba, lobo de crin, lobo de los esteros, or lobo colorado, and as lobo-guará in Brazil. It also is called borochi in Bolivia.
The maned wolf bears minor similarities to the red fox, although it belongs to a different genus. The average adult weighs 23 kg (51 lb) and stands 90 cm (35 in) tall at the shoulder, has a head-body length of 100 cm (39 in) with the tail adding another 45 cm (18 in). Its ears are large and long (7 inches).
The maned wolf is the tallest of the wild canids; its long legs are likely an adaptation to the tall grasslands of its native habitat. Fur of the maned wolf may be reddish brown to golden orange on the sides with long, black legs, and a distinctive black . The coat is marked further with a whitish tuft at the tip of the tail and a white "bib" beneath the throat. The mane is erectile, and typically, is used to enlarge the wolf's profile when threatened or when displaying aggression. Rare melanistic maned wolves exist, and the first black adult maned wolf was photographed by camera trap in northern Minas Gerais in Brazil in 2013.
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Wikipedia