EVOLUTIONARY AND TAXONOMIC RELATIONSHIPS AMONG NORTH-AMERICAN ARID-LAND FOXES

Morphometric data distinguished between kit fox Vulpes macrotis of the Southwest and swift fox V. velox of the Great Plains but not among nominal subspecies of the 2 foxes. It was uncertain from the morphometric data whether the two foxes should be regarded as species or subspecies. Genic divergence was negligible with 2 subspecies of the kit fox more similar genetically to the swift fox than to 2 other subspecies of the kit fox. All arid-land foxes in North America thus pertain to Vulpes velox and 2 subspecies V. v. velox and V. v. macrotis should be recognized. -from Authors