Japanese raccoon dog
| Japanese raccoon dog | |
|---|---|
| In Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Canidae |
| Subfamily: | Caninae |
| Genus: | Nyctereutes |
| Species: | N. viverrinus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Nyctereutes viverrinus (Temminck, 1838)
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The Japanese raccoon dog (Nyctereutes viverrinus) is a species of canid that is endemic to Japan.[1] It is one of two species in the genus Nyctereutes, alongside the common raccoon dog (N. procyonoides),[2] of which it is considered to be a subspecies by some taxonomic authorities.
In Japan, raccoon dogs have had a significant role in Japanese folklore since ancient times. They are reputedly mischievous and jolly, masters of disguise and shapeshifting, but somewhat gullible and absent-minded. The animals are common in Japanese art, particularly as statues.
- ^ "Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Archived from the original on 4 October 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
- ^ Kim, Sang-In; Oshida, Tatsuo; Lee, Hang; Min, Mi-Sook; Kimura, Junpei (2015). "Evolutionary and biogeographical implications of variation in skull morphology of raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides, Mammalia: Carnivora)" (PDF). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 116 (4): 856–872. doi:10.1111/bij.12629. ISSN 1095-8312.