RED FOX
Vulpes vulpes 
   
PAGE INDEX
1. Fox skull, lateral
2. Fox skull, ventral
3. Post-orbital
   processes
4. Dog skull
5. Details
 Fox or Dog ? The species are closely related, and the variety of sizes and shapes of domestic dog means that there can be no simple measurement or feature to separate them. Perhaps the most reliable feature is the "inflated" sinuses of the frontal bones in dogs.
In the UK, a small, dog-like skull with flat or concave surfaces to the post-orbital processes is probably a fox (illustrations below).

Link to Dog page.

 
TAXONOMY
Order - Carnivora 
(typical carnivores)
Suborder - Canoidea 
("dog-like")
Family - Canidae 
(dogs)

Dental Formula : 3.1.4.2 / 3.1.4.3 (3rd molar vestigial and often missing)

1. Fox skull, female, lateral view

a) Post-orbital process

2. Fox skull, female, dentition
3. Fox, post-orbital processes, lit to emphasise concavity. (a)
4. Greyhound skull, showing "inflated" frontal sinuses. (a)

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Details of Specimens Illustrated

Image 1 & 2
Fox Vulpes vulpes
Stage - adult
Sex - Female
Date collected - March 98
Area collected - Northumberland
Collection ref. - 98.002
Source - Found dead on river bank after spate.
Measurements
Condylobasal length136mm Zygomatic width75mm
Jaw length102mm Interorbital width26mm
Post-orbital constriction20mm

Males may be larger, one in my collection has a condylobasal length of 150mm

Image 3
Domestic dog (Greyhound) Canis familiaris

Link to Greyhound page.

Scientific Name : Vulpes "a fox" (latin)
Scientific Name : Canis "a dog" (latin)
Scientific Name : familiaris "domestic" (latin)

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