The Short-eared dog (Atelocynus microtis)

Jun 16, 2019 Interesting Creatures in Guyana, News

The short-eared dog (Atelocynus microtis), also known as the short-eared zorro , is a unique and elusive canid species endemic to the Amazonian basin. This is the only species assigned to the genus Atelocynus.
After the formation of the Isthmus of Panama in the latter part the Tertiary (about 2.5 million years ago in the Pliocene), dogs migrated from North America to the southern continent as part of the Great American Interchange. The short-eared dog’s ancestors adapted to life in tropical rainforests, developing the requisite morphological and anatomical features. Apart from its superficial resemblance to the bush dog, the short-eared dog seems not to be closely related to any fox-like or wolf-like canid. It is one of the most unusual canids.
The short-eared dog can be found in the Amazon rainforest region of South America (in Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and possibly Venezuela). It lives in various parts of the rainforest environment, preferring areas with little human disturbance. It lives in both lowland forests known as Selva Amazónica and terra firme forest, as well as in swamp forest, stands of bamboo, and cloud forest.
This dog species has short and slender limbs with short and rounded ears. It has a distinctive fox-like muzzle and bushy tail. It ranges from dark to reddish-grey, but can also be nearly navy blue, coffee brown, dark grey or chestnut-grey to black, and the coat is short, with thick and bristly fur. Its paws are partly webbed, owing to its partly aquatic habitat.
It moves with feline lightness unparalleled among the other canids. It has a somewhat narrow chest, with dark colour variation on thorax merging to brighter, more reddish tones on the abdominal side of the body.
This wild dog is mainly a carnivore, with fish, insects, and small mammals making up the majority of its diet. An investigation led in Cocha Cashu Biological Station in Peru into the proportions of different kinds of food in this animal’s diet produced the following results: fish 28 percent, insects 17 percent, small mammals 13 percent, various fruits 10 percent, birds 10 percent, crabs 10 percent, frogs four percent, reptiles three percent.
This species has some unique behaviours not typical to other canids. Females of this species are about one-third larger than males. The excited male sprays a musk produced by the tail glands. It prefers a solitary lifestyle, in forest areas. It avoids humans in the natural environment. Agitated males will raise the hairs on their backs.
Lifespan and gestation period are unknown, although it is assumed that sexual maturity is reached at about one year of age.
Feral dogs pose a prominent threat to the population of short-eared dogs, as they facilitate the spread of diseases such as canine distemper and rabies to the wild population. Humans also contribute to the extermination of the short-eared dog by degradation of the species’ natural habitat and the destruction of tropical rainforests.
The short-eared dog is currently considered near threatened by IUCN. No comprehensive ecological and genetic research has been carried out on the species. [Source: Wikipedia]

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