Kingdom Animalia Order Carnivora Family Canidae Scientific name Nyctereutes Mass Raccoon dog: 4.2 kg Rank Genus | Phylum Chordata Suborder Caniformia Subfamily Caninae Higher classification Caninae Gestation period Raccoon dog: 62 days Length Raccoon dog: 45 cm | |
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Similar Raccoon dog, Mammal, Canidae, Meles, Carnivores | ||
Nyctereutes is an Old World genus of the family Canidae, consisting of just one living species, the raccoon dog of East Asia. Nyctereutes appeared about 9.0 million years ago (Mya), with all but one species becoming extinct before the Pleistocene.
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Native to East Asia, the raccoon dog has been intensively bred for fur in Europe and especially in Russia during the twentieth century. Specimens have escaped or have been introduced to increase production and formed from populations in Eastern Europe. It is currently expanding rapidly in the rest of Europe, where its presence is undesirable because it is considered to be a harmful and invasive species.
Racoon dog nyctereutes procyonoides
Taxonomy
It is considered a basal genus, resembling the ancestral form of Canidae. It most likely diverged from other canids seven to 10 million years ago.
Nyctereutes was named by Temminck (1839). It was assigned to the Canidae by Carroll (1988) and Geraads (1997).
Species
