Spot the Dogs Trivia Quiz

Answer:

In alphabetical order, the canids are the corsac, coyote, culpeo, dhole, dingo, fennec fox, jackal, maikong, short-eared zorro, and tanuki.

If you're a fan of the web series 'RWBY', you might have seen the fox Faunus brothers, Fennec and Corsac, both named after fox species. The corsac, or steppe fox, is a Central Asian fox with small teeth and a paler coat than its red cousins. Because it is accustomed to living in dry climates, it can go without food or water for several days. Golden eagles are major predators; corsac bones have been found in golden eagle nests in Mongolia. Fennec foxes are native to northern Africa, and are the national animal of Algeria; the Algerian football team's nickname is 'the Fennecs'. They are recognisable by their sandy coats, enormous ears and black eyes. They are spread over the Sahara desert, from Morocco to Sudan. Some fennec foxes are kept as exotic pets.

The coyote lives in North America and figures in the mythology of some Native American nations as a trickster, particularly in the Southwest and Plains regions. It is closely related to the grey wolf, but is smaller; like wolves, it howls, and there have been instances of wolves and coyotes mating, although wolves prey on coyotes. They sometimes have mutualistic relationships with badgers.

The culpeo is a South American canid, with a range extending along the western side of the continent, from Ecuador to Tierra del Fuego. Although one of its nicknames is the colpeo fox, and it has a fox-like appearance, it is genetically closer to wolves than foxes. When there are droughts in Chile, it preys on livestock.

The dhole is an Asian canid with red fur and long ears. Although its range extended as far as Russia, it is now limited to southern, eastern and southeast Asia. Their social structure is similar to African wild dogs, and they are less hierarchical than wolves. They are nicknamed the 'whistling dog' because of their distinctive calls. If you've read 'The Jungle Book', you might remember that Mowgli encounters a pack of them.

The dingo, the only Aussie on this list, is a wild dog with a lean body and a reddish, white or black and tan coat. It is descended from domesticated dogs and has a history of co-existing with Aboriginal Australians, although it is not a pet and humans are discouraged from feeding them. Although they have a bad reputation, because of their attacks on livestock and the Lindy Chamberlain case, they also help the ecological system by keeping down the numbers of feral goats and pigs.

The jackal is a scavenger, and there are two major subtypes: the black-backed jackal, which lives in eastern and southern Africa and is an ancient species, and the golden jackal, which lives in Europe and Asia. Golden jackals are genetically closer to wolves than black-backed jackals. Jackals mate for life and are very territorial. In Hinduism, the goddess Kali is associated with jackals, and the goddess Shivaduti uses one as a mount.

The maikong, or crab-eating fox, is a South American canid and is not a true fox, as it comes from the Cerdocyon genus, not the Vulpes one. It is stocky with a grey coat and short legs. It gets its name from its habit of hunting for crabs on flood plains during the rainy season. Although they dig their own dens, they like to steal other animals' burrows and squat there.

The short-eared zorro, also known as the short-eared dog, gets its name from the Spanish word for fox and lives in the Amazonian Basin. It is not a true fox, but a unique critter; it's the only member of the Atelocynus genus, and has short legs, a reddish-grey coat, and webbed paws. Unlike other canids in this quiz, it prefers to hunt alone.

The tanuki, or Japanese raccoon dog, lives in Japan and often features in folklore as a trickster that can shapeshift with the aid of a leaf, and has a rivalry with the kitsune (fox); statues of tanuki often depict them carrying bottles of sake. It behaves in a cat-like manner, arching its back to intimidate enemies, and can climb trees with its curved claws. Their fur has historically been used for calligraphy brushes. Fans of the manga 'Naruto' will remember that the character Gaara was possessed by a giant demonic tanuki, and if you've played the 'Super Mario Bros' games, you'll know that Mario gains the ears and tail of a tanuki when he gets a magic leaf.

The caracal, jaguarundi, kodkod, ocelot and oncilla are the kitties. The caracal lives in Africa and parts of Asia and has a reddish pelt like a mountain lion's, and long, tufted ears. The jaguarundi is native to the Americas, particularly South America, and is a shy creature that prefers to hunt during the day; its grey or red coat helps camouflage it, and it can jump very high. The kodkod, ocelot and oncilla are all small spotted cats native to the Americas; also known as the guiņa, the kodkod lives in South America, mainly in rainforests, while the ocelot and oncilla's ranges are similar but also includes Central America and in, the ocelot's case, the southwestern USA. The ocelot gets its name from the Nahuatl word 'ocelotl', meaning 'jaguar'. It is sometimes kept as a pet, although this is banned in several countries.