One interesting post I’d like to make regarding nutrient intake and diet between the two animals is their unique demand for taurine.
Foxes are the one of the very few in the canine family that require the amino acid taurine, something that is required primarily in felines[1]. Scientists speculat e this is related to their cat-like behaviour and possible branching of a common ancestor from the feline family[1]. In the wild, taurine can be obtained through consumption of red meats, deficiencies can lead to heart failure[1]. In the winter time for red foxes this may become a problem since live prey will be scarce and difficult to track[1]. It is unknown how fennecs deal with this problem since their diet consists of mainly insects, which provides very little or no taurine[1].
One other interesting thing to note. Fennecs have very unusual teeth compared to other foxes, wildlife biologists speculate it is because of their special insect diet[2]. They have a row of very sharp molars at the back of the jaw for chewing up exoskeletons and small bones[2].
References:
1. 1. Moise, N., Pacioretty, L., Kalifelz, F., Stipanuk, M., King, J., Gilmour, R., 1991. Dietary taurine deficiency and dilated cardiomyopathy in the fox. Am. Heart.J. 121, 541-547.
2. Brahmi, K., Khechekhouche, E., Mostefaoui, O., Doumandji, S., Baziz, B., Aulangnier, S., 2012. First quantitative data on the diet of the fennec fox, Vulpes zerda (Canidae, Carnivora), in Algeria. Folia. Zool. 61, 61-70.
Foxes are the one of the very few in the canine family that require the amino acid taurine, something that is required primarily in felines[1]. Scientists speculat e this is related to their cat-like behaviour and possible branching of a common ancestor from the feline family[1]. In the wild, taurine can be obtained through consumption of red meats, deficiencies can lead to heart failure[1]. In the winter time for red foxes this may become a problem since live prey will be scarce and difficult to track[1]. It is unknown how fennecs deal with this problem since their diet consists of mainly insects, which provides very little or no taurine[1].
One other interesting thing to note. Fennecs have very unusual teeth compared to other foxes, wildlife biologists speculate it is because of their special insect diet[2]. They have a row of very sharp molars at the back of the jaw for chewing up exoskeletons and small bones[2].
References:
1. 1. Moise, N., Pacioretty, L., Kalifelz, F., Stipanuk, M., King, J., Gilmour, R., 1991. Dietary taurine deficiency and dilated cardiomyopathy in the fox. Am. Heart.J. 121, 541-547.
2. Brahmi, K., Khechekhouche, E., Mostefaoui, O., Doumandji, S., Baziz, B., Aulangnier, S., 2012. First quantitative data on the diet of the fennec fox, Vulpes zerda (Canidae, Carnivora), in Algeria. Folia. Zool. 61, 61-70.