South American fox

The South American foxes (Lycalopex), commonly called "raposas", in Portuguese, or "zorros", in Spanish, are a genus of the dog family from South America. Despite their name, they are not true foxes but are a unique canid genus more closely related to the wolves, dogs, jackals and coyotes than they are to foxes, which they somewhat resemble and after which they are named. The South American gray fox Lycalopex griseus, is the most common species, and is known for its large ears and a highly marketable, russet-fringed pelt.

The oldest known fossils belonging to the genus were discovered in Chile, and date from 2.0 to 2.5 million years ago, in the mid to late Pliocene.

Names

The common English words "zorro" and "raposa" are loan words from Spanish and Portuguese, respectively, with both words originally meaning "fox". Current usage lists Pseudalopex (literally: "false fox") as synonymous with Lycalopex ("wolf fox"), with the latter taking precedence. The IUCN, for instance, retains the use of Pseudalopex while also acknowledging Lycalopex as a legitimate alternative.