Short-eared Dog

About the Short-eared Dog

The short-eared dog (Atelocynus microtis), also known as the small-eared dog, short-eared fox or small eared zorro, is an elusive canid species endemic to the Amazonian basin. This is the only species assigned to the genus Atelocynus.

The short-eared dog has many names in the local languages where it is endemic, including cachorro-do-mato-de-orelha-curta in Portuguese, zorro de oreja corta ("short-ear fox") in Spanish, nomensarixi in Chiquitano, uálaca in Yucuna, cuachi yaguar in Guarayu, quinamco in Mooré, and achuj in Ninam and Mosetén.

Other common names in Spanish include zorro ojizarco ("blue-eyed fox"), zorro sabanero ("savannah fox"), and zorro negro ("black fox"). In 2022, a study sequenced the genomes of the living members of the subtribe Cerdocyonina, which indicates that they commenced diversifying from a common ancestor between 3.9—3.5 million years ago. This finding is consistent with the ancestor arriving in South America from Central America through the Isthmus of Panama and then entering into eastern South America. The subtribe then expanded to occupy the entire continent.

After the formation of the Isthmus of Panama... Wikipedia →