The red fox Vulpes vulpes is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora , being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America , Europe and Asia , plus parts of North Africa. Due to its impact on native species, it is included on the list of the " world's worst invasive species ". The red fox originated in Eurasia during the Middle Pleistocene at least , years ago [ 5 ] and later colonised North America sometime prior to , years ago.
Despite its name, the species often produces individuals with other colourings, including leucistic and melanistic individuals. Red foxes are usually found in pairs or small groups consisting of families, such as a mated pair and their young, or a male with several females having kinship ties.
The young of the mated pair remain with their parents to assist in caring for new kits. The species has a long history of association with humans, having been extensively hunted as a pest and furbearer for many centuries, as well as being represented in human folklore and mythology.
Because of its widespread distribution and large population, the red fox is one of the most important furbearing animals harvested for the fur trade. Domestication of the red fox is also underway in Russia , and has resulted in the domesticated silver fox. Males are called tods or dogs, females are called vixens, and young are known as cubs or kits. The bushy tail also forms the basis for the fox's Welsh name, llwynog , literally 'bushy', from llwyn 'bush'. The scientific term vulpes derives from the Latin word for fox, and gives the adjectives vulpine and vulpecular.
The red fox is considered to be a more specialised form of Vulpes than the Afghan , corsac and Bengal fox species, in regards to their overall size and adaptation to carnivory ; the skull displays far fewer neotenous traits than in other foxes, and its facial area is more developed.
