''Nyctereutes'' (Greek: ''nyx, nykt-'' "night" + ''ereutēs'' "wanderer") is a

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 canid which includes only two extant species both known as raccoon dogs; the

common raccoon dog The common raccoon dog (''Nyctereutes procyonoides''), also called the Chinese or Asian raccoon dog, is a small, heavy-set, fox-like canid native to East Asia. Named for its raccoon-like face markings, it is most closely related to foxes. Common ...

(''Nyctereutes procyonoides'') and the

Japanese raccoon dog The Japanese raccoon dog (''Nyctereutes viverrinus''), also known as the ''tanuki'' ( ja, , , ), is a species of canid endemic to Japan. It is one of two species in the genus ''Nyctereutes'', alongside the common raccoon dog (''N. procyonoides'' ...

(''Nyctereutes viverrinus''). ''Nyctereutes'' first entered the fossil record 5.5 million years ago ( Mya) in

northern China Northern China () and Southern China () are two approximate regions within China. The exact boundary between these two regions is not precisely defined and only serve to depict where there appears to be regional differences between the climate ...

. It was one of the earliest canines to arrive in the

Old World The "Old World" is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe , after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by thei ...

. All but two species became extinct before the

Pleistocene The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological Epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was fina ...

Characteristics

They are typically recognized by their short snouts, round craniums, and of course the shaping of their molars specifically the ration between M1 and M2. ''Nyctereutes'' mainly is considered an opportunistic carnivore, meaning they mainly feed on small mammals, fish, birds, insects, alongside occasional plants specifically roots. Their diet is mostly influenced through environmental factors.

Species

Extant species

Fossil species

*†''Nyctereutes abdeslami'' 3.6—1.8 Mya (Morocco) *†''Nyctereutes donnezani'' 9.0—3.4 Mya (Eastern Europe, Spain) *†''Nyctereutes megamastoides'' (Europe) *†''Nyctereutes sinensis'' 3.6 Mya—781,000 years ago (Eastern Asia)Paleobiology Database: 'Nyctereutes sinensis'' basic info.
/ref> *†''Nyctereutes tingi'' *†''Nyctereutes vinetorum'' *†''Nyctereutes lockwoodi''

Characteristics

Species

Extant species

Fossil species

References

Further reading