Maned wolf[1] Temporal range: Pleistocene – Recent
Late | |
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Maned wolf in Cologne Zoo, Germany | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Family: | Canidae |
Subfamily: | Caninae |
Tribe: | Canini |
Genus: | Chrysocyon Smith, 1839 |
Species: | C. brachyurus
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Binomial name | |
Chrysocyon brachyurus (Illiger, 1815)
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Range of the maned wolf | |
Synonyms[4] | |
Canis brachyurus, C. campestris, C. isodactylus, C. jubatus, Vulpes cancrosa |
The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is a large canine of South America.[5] It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Paraguay, and is almost extinct in Uruguay. Its markings resemble those of foxes, but it is neither a fox nor a wolf.[6] It is the only species in the genus Chrysocyon (meaning "golden dog" in Ancient Greek : χρῡσο-κύων : chryso-kyōn).
It is the largest canine in South America, weighing 20–30 kg (44–66 lb) and up to 110 cm (43 in) at the withers. Its long, thin legs and dense reddish coat give it a distinct appearance. The maned wolf is a crepuscular and omnivorous animal adapted to the open environments of the South American savanna, with an important role in the seed dispersal of fruits, especially the wolf apple (Solanum lycocarpum). The maned wolf is a solitary animal. It communicates primarily by scent marking, but also gives a loud call known as "roar-barking".
This mammal lives in open and semi-open habitats, especially grasslands with scattered bushes and trees, in the Cerrado of south, central-west, and southeastern Brazil; Paraguay; northern Argentina; and Bolivia east and north of the Andes,[7] and far southeastern Peru (Pampas del Heath only).[8] It is very rare in Uruguay, possibly being displaced completely through loss of habitat.[2] The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists it as near threatened,[2] while it is considered a vulnerable species by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources. In 2011, a female maned wolf, run over by a truck, underwent stem cell treatment at the Zoo Brasília , this being the first recorded case of the use of stem cells to heal injuries in a wild animal.[9]