Fox (disambiguation)

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This article is about the animal. For other uses, see Fox (disambiguation).

Red Fox

Foxes, scientifically referred to as vulpines, are members of the canid family. The term fox properly refers to any one of the 27 species of small to medium sized omnivorous canids bearing vulpine characteristics, particularly the sharp features and the brush-like tail.

The most common species associated with a fox is the red fox. The female of this species is called a vixen, and the male is referred to as a tod or dog. Their young are called kits, cubs, or pups. A group of foxes is called a skulk.

Types of foxes

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Some of these includes the genera Alopex (Arctic Fox, sometimes included with the "true" foxes in genus Vulpes), Cerdocyon (Wood or Crab-eating Fox), Chrysocyon (Maned Wolf), Dusicyon (Falkland Island Fox), Fennecus (Fennec, or Desert Fox), Lycalopex (Hoary Fox), Otocyon (Bat-eared Fox), Pseudalopex (four South American species, including the Culpeo), Urocyon (Gray Fox, Island Fox and Cozumel Fox) and the proper Vulpes (the ten or so species of "true" foxes, including the Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes).

However, there are several members of the Canidae family that are commonly referred to as foxes, and even a few animals that aren't canids at all.

Contributions to any of the following sections about particular species of fox and how they relate to furry fandom are welcome and encouraged. Some examples of fursonas and characters (especially if other than red fox) would be good to have. Some real species information is okay but should be kept brief; readers who want to know more can follow the links.

Vulpes

Foremost among these are those from the genus Vulpes, which are sometimes called the "true foxes".

See the following articles for some of the more popular fox species:

Some of the lesser known foxes in the Vulpes genus are the following:

Other vulpines

The other genera of foxes include these species, all of which have separate articles:

The Crab-eating Fox (Cerdocyon thous), aka the crab-eating zorro, native to South America, but depending on regions outside its native continent, it is also known as the common fox or the wood fox.

The small eared zorro (Atelocynus microtis), aka the short-eared dog, native to South America.

The Falkland Island Fox (Dusicyon australis), aka the Falkland Island Wolf, formerly of the Falkland Islands, became extinct in 1876.

The genus Pseudalopex has six species, all native to South America:

The Ethiopian Wolf (Canis simensis), a critically endangered species found only in a small range in east-central Africa, is sometimes called the Simian fox.

Foxes and furry

Depiction of standard anthropomorphic and nonmorphic red fox fursonas.

Foxes are one of the most popular phenotypes chosen by furries, with the Red Fox being a popular subspecies.

This may be due to the frequent anthropomorphization of the fox in literature such as in Aesop's Fables, and movies such as Disney's Robin Hood. In addition, the fox is part of popular figures of speech, such as "the fox guarding the henhouse", "crazy as a fox", "she's a fox", etc.

As the fox is portrayed frequently and in a myriad of ways, this may give it broader appeal, and make it easier for people to associate with; hence, its popularity as a fursona.

In the aforementioned media, the fox is portrayed as mischeivous and cunning (Aesop), or heroic (Robin Hood), but in furry fandom, the fox is such a universally popular character that it is in no way restricted to those traits. In fact, furries choosing the fox as their fursona typically fall into one of the following three categories:

  1. Realistic -- Often chosen by those who desire a quiet, introspective, and perhaps shy persona. This is likely due in part from observing the mannerism of the fox in its natural habitat, and observing its quiet beauty in photographs. Moreover, these people are often intelligent, choosing the fox for its fabled cunning.
  2. Toony -- Although the fox is seldom portrayed as a buffoon in popular media, many furries choose to portray the fox in a silly manner. Toony fox fursuits are popular, as is playful online roleplaying. Furries may run over a fox with a steamroller, whilst chatting on Anthrochat. Furries who carry their affinity for sports over into their character would fall into this category as well.
  3. Yiffy -- As with any other species, a percentage of furries wish to emphasize an adult sense of playfulness in their character, and the fox is no exception. Often foxes are chosen by those who consider themselves submissive as well.

Since the fox enjoys such widespread popularity as a fursona, occasionally multiple furries with fox fursonas will choose the same name, which causes confusion. Indeed, on popular servers with many users, a fox furry may be unable to obtain the user name of choice, and may be forced to add one or more numbers after the username to differentiate from other users. This is probably the source of the assertion that "foxes are numbered", but in reality, they are not yet identified by sequential enumeration.

Foxes, in old religions, were associated with gender changes. (For example, kitsune were traditionally depicted as being able to turn into an old man, a young woman, or a mature fox, as desired.) It may not be coincidental, then, that (according to Pounced) the fox is the most common phenotype among transgendered furs, with almost 1 in 6 being vulpine.

A furry equivalent of the "dumb blonde" stereotype applies to many fox characters, leading to practices like the telling of vixen jokes. This is directly contradicted by the "cunning fox" stereotype however, so foxes can be clichéd as either ditzy or devious. West Corner Of the Park bases many of its running gags around the supposed stupidity of foxes.

See also

External links

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