Editing Fennec fox (section)

== Taxonomy and phylogeny ==

The fennec fox was [[scientifically described]] as ''Canis zerda'' by [[Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann|Eberhardt Zimmermann]] in 1780.<ref>Zimmermann, E. A. W. 1780. ''Geographische Geschichte des Menschen, und der vierfussigen Thiere''. Weygandschen Buchhandlung, Leipzig, Germany 2:1-432.</ref><ref name=msw3>{{MSW3 Wozencraft|id=14000938}}</ref><ref name="Lariviére2002">{{cite journal |last=Larivière |first=Serge |date=2002-12-26 |title=''Vulpes zerda'' |url=https://academic.oup.com/mspecies/article/doi/10.1644/0.714.1/2600497 |journal=[[Mammalian Species]] |issue=714 |pages=1–5 |doi=10.1644/0.714.1|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In 1788, [[Johann Friedrich Gmelin]] gave the species the synonym of ''Canis cerdo'' with the [[Type locality (biology)|type locality]] being the [[Sahara Desert]].<ref>Gmelin, J. F. 1788. Revision of 'Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis synonymis, locis' by C. Linnaeus. G. E. Beir, Lipsiae, Germany 1:1-232.</ref> A few years later, [[Friedrich Albrecht Anton Meyer]] assigned the name ''Viverra aurita'' to the species in 1793;<ref>Meyer, F. A. A. 1793. Systematisch-summarische Uebersicht der
neuesten zoologischen Entdeckungen in Neuholland und Africa. Zoologische Annelen (Weimar) 1:xxvi-412.</ref> the type locality was Algeria. Subsequent synonyms include ''Fennecus arabicus'' by [[Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest]] in 1804;<ref>Desmarest, A. G. 1804. Nouveau dictionnaire d'histoire naturelle, appliquee aux arts, principalement a l' agriculture et a l'economie rurale et domestique: par une societe de naturalistes et d' agriculteurs: avec des figures tirees des trois regnes de la nature. Deterville, Paris, France 24: 1-238</ref> ''Megalotis cerda'' by [[Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger]] in 1811<ref>Illiger, J. K. W. 1811. Prodromus systematis mammalicim et avium. Sumptibus C. Salfeld, Berlin, Germany.</ref> which was based on earlier descriptions by Gmelin, and another synonym by Desmarest (''Fennecus brucei'') in 1820; the type locality was Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Sudan. In 1827, the species was given another synonym (''Canis fennecus'') by [[René Lesson]] whose work was largely based on the species scientific description in 1780.<ref>Lesson, R.-P. 1827. ''Manuel de mammalogie ou histoire naturelle des mammiferes''. Roret, Paris, France.</ref> In the 1840s, the species received synonyms by [[Pierre Boitard]] in 1842 (''Vulpes denhamii'')<ref>Boitard, M. 1842. Le jardin des plantes: description et moeurs des mammiferes de la menagerie et du museum d'histoire naturelle. J.-1. Dubochet, Paris, France.</ref> and [[John Edward Gray]] in 1843 (''Vulpes zuarensis'').<ref>Gray, J. E. 1843. List of the specimens of Mammalia in the collection of the British Museum. British Museum of Natural History, London.</ref> The type localities of these were "interior of Africa" and [[Egypt]], respectively. In 1978 Gordon Barclay Corbet renamed the species to ''Vulpes zerda'',<ref>Corbet, G. B. 1978. ''The mammals of the Palaearctic region, a taxonomic review''. British Museum of Natural History and Cornell University Press, London.</ref> its current [[scientific name]].<ref name="Lariviére2002"/> It was originally assigned to the genus ''[[Canis]]'', but following molecular analysis it was moved to ''[[Vulpes]]'' despite having some distinct morphological and behavioral traits.<ref name="COTW">{{cite book |last=Castelló |first=José R. |url=https://archive.org/details/canids-of-the-world-wolves-wild-dogs-foxes-jackals-coyotes-and-their-relatives-pdfdrive/page/205/mode/1up |title=Canids of the World: Wolves, Wild Dogs, Foxes, Jackals, Coyotes, and Their Relatives |date=2018-09-11 |publisher=[[Princeton University Press]] |isbn=978-0-691-17685-7 |pages=172, 205}}</ref>

According to DNA evidence, the closest living relative to the fennec fox is the [[Blanford's fox]]. They are two of eight "desert fox" species, which is a group of ''Vulpes'' that share comparable ecologies. The other members include the [[corsac fox]], [[pale fox]], [[kit fox]], [[Tibetan fox]], [[Rüppell's fox]] and [[Cape fox]]. All eight species evolved to survive in desert environments, developing several traits such as sandy colored coats, large ears, pigmented eyes, and specialized kidneys.<ref>{{cite book |last=Henry |first=J. David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=raFqBgAAQBAJ&dq=info:ghaYhfc08R4J:scholar.google.com/&pg=PT5 |title=Red Fox: The Catlike Canine |date=2013-04-09 |publisher=[[Smithsonian Institution]] |isbn=978-1-58834-339-0 |language=en}}</ref> The word ''fennec'' is derived from the Arabic word ''fanak'' which likely has Persian origins.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fennec |url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/fennec |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=Dictionary.com}}</ref>

The fennec fox is one of 13 extant ''Vulpes'' species and a member of the family [[Canidae]].<ref name="COTW"/>