Pseudalopex culpaeus (Molina, 1782)
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6331155 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6585157 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03ACCF40-BF25-FFDB-7E8D-FE3DF842D9F6 |
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treatment provided by |
Conny |
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scientific name |
Pseudalopex culpaeus |
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14. View On
Culpeo
Pseudalopex culpaeus View in CoL
French: Renard des Andes / German: Andenfuchs / Spanish: Zorro andino
Other common names: Andean Fox
Taxonomy. Canis culpaeus Molina, 1782. View in CoL
Santiago Province, Chile.
The taxonomic status of the Culpeo is still unresolved, despite a range of propositions for including it under Dusicyon , Canis , and Lycalopex . Six subspecies are recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
P. c. culpaeus Molina, 1782 — W & C Argentina and C Chile.
P. c. andinus Thomas, 1914 — altiplano of Bolivia, N Chile, and Peru.
P.c. lycoides Philippi, 1895 — Tierra del Fuego.
P.c. magellanicus Gray, 1837 — Argentina and S Chile.
P. c. reissu Hilzheimer, 1906 — Ecuadorian Andes and extreme S Colombia (Narino).
P. c. smithersi Thomas, 1914 — Argentina (Cordoba Mts). View Figure
Descriptive notes. Head-body 44-5-92- 5 cm for males and 49-89 cm for females, tail 30-5-49- 3 cm for males and 31-45 cm for females; weight 3-4-13- 8 kg for males and 3: 9-10 kg for females. The largest fox in the genus Pseudalopex . The broad head and wide muzzle impart a powerful appearance. Males larger and on average 1-5 times heavier than females. White to light tawny chin and body underparts. Dorsal parts of the head, including the ears and neck, as well as legs and flanks are tawny or rufous. The rump is darker, ranging in color from tawny to dark gray, according to the subspecies. The tail is long, bushy, and gray, with a black tip and a dark dorsal patch near its base. Feet and legs are bright tawny with no black. Specimens from northern ranges (1.e. andinus) are lighter in color. Compared to the South American Gray Fox, Culpeos have longer canines and shorter second molars. The dental formula is I 3/3, C 1/1, PM 4/4, M 2/3 = 42.
Habitat. The Culpeo ranges from rugged and mountain terrain up to the tree line, to deep valleys and open deserts, scrubby pampas, sclerophyllous matorral, and broadleaved temperate southern beech forest in the south. The Culpeo uses the entire range of habitat moisture gradients from the dry desert to broad-leaved rainforest. In the Andes of Peru, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina it reaches elevations of up to 4800 m, where it occupies colder and dryer environments than any other South American canid.
Food and Feeding. Diet includes wild ungulates, domestic sheep (northern Patagonia), European Hares (Lepus europeus), European Rabbits, small mammals, lizards, birds, and insects. Although it is an opportunistic predator, the Culpeo is considered more carnivorous and a consumer of larger mammalian prey than the other South American foxes. Most trophic studies found seasonal differences in diet composition, probably in response to prey availability. In Argentine Patagonia, Culpeos showed a preference for hares and selected among rodent species for those that may be more vulnerable. Culpeos in central Chile selected the largest small mammals available. Although the bulk of the diet consists of animal prey, Culpeos are often described as consumers offruits and berries and are therefore thought to disperse seeds of a variety of plant species. Highest fruit consumption occurs when small mammals are the least abundant. Culpeos tend to forage solitarily. Their foraging activity may be influenced by the nocturnal habits of their main prey, but also by persecution.
Activity patterns. In Argentina, Magallanes, and the Chilean desert, and highland Peru (where it is intensively persecuted) the Culpeo is almost completely nocturnal. This contrasts with the diurnal activity shown in north-central Chile, where it is protected. Culpeos have been recorded moving linear distances of about 7 km in north-western Patagonia, but desert-dwelling foxes in northern Chile have been recorded moving three times as far.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Culpeos seem to be solitary foxes. Spatial studies throughout their range indicate that they have inter- and intra-sexual non-overlapping home ranges. Small areas of spatial overlap occur at sites of human refuse, but the foxes still segregate temporally. Females are apparently more spatially intolerant than males. In north-central Chile, home ranges of females averaged 8-9 km * and were 2-5 times larger than those of males. In contrast, Culpeo home ranges in Torres del Paine National Park (south Chile) were only 4-5 km? in size and similar for males and females. Desert-dwelling Culpeos show high variability in home range size, ranging from 10 km ” for Culpeosliving in ravines to 800 km? for foxes associated with highland salt flats and lakes.
Breeding. In the Patagonian steppe of Argentina, male Culpeos produce sperm between June and mid-October (early winter to early spring). Females are monoestrous and mating occurs from the beginning of August through October. Gestation is 58 days. Based on embryo counts, estimated mean litter size is 5-2 (range 3-8). Neonates weigh about 170 g. Juveniles reach adult size within seven months and can reproduce during the first year. Although the sex ratio of 253 individuals was skewed in favor of males in the Neuquén population, some 30 years later the sex ratio approached parity, as expected for intensively hunted populations.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Least Concern on The [UCN Red Last. In Chile the species is considered Insufficiently Known and the subspecies P. ¢. lycoides is considered Endangered. Despite being similarly decreed as “endangered” in Argentina, due to the number of Culpeo pelts traded during the 1970s and early 1980s, national trade and export of this product has remained legal. Culpeos appear to withstand intense hunting levels and still maintain viable regional populations. Recent estimates reported densities of 0-2-1-3 individuals/km? in north-western Patagonia, Argentina, and 0-3-1-3 individuals/km? in Chile. Hunting has been banned since 1980), although law enforcement is not strict. Although Culpeo fur exports were banned in Bolivia in 1986, the species is not protected in that country. Culpeos are persecuted to reduce predation on livestock and poultry. They prey on newborn lambs and account for an estimated 60% of the attacks by predators in Patagonia. Predation by feral and domestic dogs may threaten Culpeos in some areas, and road kills occur frequently in Argentina.
Bibliography. Bustamante et al. (1992), Cofré & Marquet (1999), Corley et al. (1995), Crespo (1975), Crespo & de Carlo (1963), Ebensperger et al. (1991), Glade (1993), Iriarte et al. (1989), Jaksic & Yanez (1983), Jaksic, Schlatter & Yanez (1980), Jaksic, Yanez & Rau (1983), Jiménez (1993), Jiménez & Novaro (2004), Jiménez, Yanez & Jaksic (1996), Jiménez, Yanez, Tabilo & Jaksic (1996), Johnson (1992), Johnson & Franklin (1994a, 1994b), Langguth (1975), Marquet et al. (1993), Meserve et al. (1987), Novaro (1995, 1997a, 1997b), Novaro, Funes & Walker (2000), Novaro, Funes, Rambeaud & Monsalvo (2000), Romo (1995), Salvatori et al. (1999), Simonetti (1986), Travaini, Juste et al. (2000), Travaini, Zapata et al. (2000), Wayne et al. (1989), Yanez & Jaksic (1978), Yanez & Rau (1980), Zunino et al. (1995).
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