Scientific Illustration

The skull of Speothos venaticus, South American Bush Dog

It’s interesting to compare the 3D model with this old illustration:

From: ’On the cranial and character of the Canidae’

Aguará guazú - The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)

“Bush Dog

Speothos venaticus 

Makushi name: Ai 

Creole name: Short tail dog 

Size: body=65 cm; tail=12 cm; weight=6 kg 

Description: Small and low-slung. Head paler than body; tail very short, often held upright. Front feet broad with partial webbing between the toes. An odd-looking dog unlikely to be confused with other species. 

Activity: Probably diurnal; terrestrial; swims well. 

Habits: Little known in the wild. It is usually seen in pairs or small groups in the forest, and it forms strong pair-bonds in captivity. It dens in burrows or at the base of hollow trees. The few observations of wild Bush Dogs are mostly while it was hunting: it has been seen chasing Paca into water and a group of 4 to 6 was seen pursuing a Paca through the forest, yapping like puppies. It is thought to be strictly carnivorous and eats agouti, Paca and fish. Vocalizations include yelps, whines, barks and high-pitched squeaks. 

Habitat: Mature forest, usually near water. 

Signs: Tracks with four toes and some claw marks usually present; front track rather broad (about 45 mm), hind track longer and narrower (about 42 mm); foot pad relatively small compared to cat tracks of similar size. 

Status: Rare. Listed on CITES Appendix I. IUCN rank of Vulnerable.”

A bush dog (Speothos venaticus)

From: On the bush-dog (Icticyon venaticus, Lund.)

by William Henry Flower Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1880

Aguará guazú (Maned Wolf).

From: Redford, K.H. y JF Eisemberg (1992) “Mammals of the Neotropics. The southern cone”. Vol. 2. Chile, Argentina, Uruguay y Paraguay. 430 pag. Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago and London.

Blà Räf, the Arctic Fox Canis lagopus - now called Vulpes lagopus

n198_w1150 by BioDivLibrary on Flickr.

Arctic Fox, Blue Fox and Gray Fox

Aguará guazú by ~Sygnia 

The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)

Arctic Fox winter coat.

Arctic Fox summer coat.

n212_w1150 by BioDivLibrary on Flickr.

The Arctic Fox