Urocyon sp. ‘Cozumel’

Cozumel Fox (Urocyon sp.)

The Cozumel Fox is an enigmatic, up to now undescribed species that is or was endemic to the island of Cozumel, Mexico.

The species is known from subfossil remains of which some have been recovered during archaeological excavations of Mayan middens, which date to an age of 1500 to 500 years.

The Cozumel Fox was smaller than its mainland congeners. [1]

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References:

[1] M. E. Gompper; A. E. Petrites; R. L. Lyman: Cozumel Island fox (Urocyon sp.) dwarfism and possible divergence history based on subfossil bones. Jouranl of Zoology 270(1): 72-77. 2006

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edited: 12.09.2019