genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of
omnivorous
An omnivore () is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nut ...
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.333 million to 2.58Blancan in the NALMA classification, from about 4.9 to approximately 2.6 Ma. The
type species
In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specime ...
, ''F. avius'', was originally interpreted as a relative of the modern crab-eating fox, and described as a species belonging to the genus ''Cerdocyon''. Ruiz-Ramoni ''et al.'' (2020) reinterpreted it as a vulpine canid related to North American species '' Metalopex macconnelli'', and to the Eurasian genus ''
Nyctereutes
''Nyctereutes'' (Greek: ''nyx, nykt-'' "night" + ''ereutēs'' "wanderer") is a genus of canid which includes only two extant species both known as raccoon dogs; the common raccoon dog (''Nyctereutes procyonoides'') and the Japanese raccoon dog (' ...
''. This reinterpretation necessitated removal of ''"Cerdocyon" avius'' from the genus ''Cerdocyon'', and Ruiz-Ramoni ''et al.'' (2020) transferred it to the separate genus ''Ferrucyon''.
Taxonomy
''Cerdocyon'' was named by Hamilton-Smith (1839). It was assigned to Canidae by Hamilton-Smith (1839) and Carroll (1988).R. L. Carroll. 1988. Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution. W.H. Freeman and Company
''F. avius'' was about long. Fossils of the species have been found in
Baja California
Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...