Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Cool Animal Sounds: Maned Wolf

Maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) are usually very quiet animals, but on occasion they will make a noise called a "roar-bark." It begins at 0:50.


That is quite an interesting sound, isn't it! The roar-bark is one of only three vocalizations they make, the other two being a grown and high-pitched whine. Maned wolves, also sometimes called "stilted foxes," are fascinating animals. The "wolf" and "fox" descriptors are misnomers because the maned wolf is actually an more distant offshoot of the Canidae family and not closely related to either wolves or foxes. Nearly a meter in height, they are omnivores and their diet consists mainly of a fruit called "wolf apples" (Solanum lycocarpum). They also feed on small animals and are known to occasionally take free-range chickens. They are native to Brazil, though their territory once reached into several neighboring countries. In captivity, they do best in opposite-sex pairings. Young are born very dark and will lighten with age. They are Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

Source is Animal Diversity Web.

4 comments:

  1. They are more closely related to wolves than they are to foxes. All South American wild dogs are more closely related the the genus Canis and its allies, Cuon and Lycaon (which should be Canis if we had half a brain.) It's called the Canini Tribe, and it's the most important tribe within the family Canidae.

    http://retrieverman.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/dog-phylogenetic-tree.jpg

    This was drawn from the dog genome study, which Linblad-Toh headed up.

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  2. That is true, but its relationship to everything except the bush dog is still quite distant. My phrasing was improper because I didn't reference a phylogenetic tree beforehand. My mistake.

    If you grouped Cuon and Lycaon with Canis, would you keep the black-backed and side-striped jackals in Canis or group them separately?

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    Replies
    1. I work out at the Endangered Wolf Center and heard them roar-barking today during wolf breeding observations!
      Also, sorry but it's 'groan'.

      Delete
    2. I work out at the Endangered Wolf Center and heard them roar-barking today during wolf breeding observations!
      Also, sorry but it's 'groan'.

      Delete