Phylogenetic status and diet of red fox que habita o Parque Nacional de Ayubia, Paquistao

• Published in: Brazilian journal of biology 2024-01, Vol.84
• Main Authors: Rafaqat, I, Mahmood, T, Hennelly, L.M, Akrim, F, Uz-Zaman, I, Fatima, H, Andleeb, S, Muhammad, G, Abbas, Y, Farooq, M, Munawar, N, Khan, M.R, Hamid, Abdul, Orakzai, M.A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Cytochrome b; Diet; Mice; National parks and reserves; Phylogeny; Sheep
• ISSN: 1519-6984
• DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.252991

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a medium-sized carnivore that occurs in different regions of Pakistan, however, still lacks scientific data on its ecology and distribution. The current study investigated the phylogenetic status and diet of the red fox (V.v. griffithii) occurring in Ayubia National Park, Pakistan. Through camera trapping and molecular analysis, we confirmed the occurrence of red fox in the study area. Based on mitochondrial cytochrome B (304 bp) and limited sampling, nearly all red foxes of Ayubia National Park and surrounding Himalayan ranges fall within Holarctic maternal lineage, whereas red foxes found in plains of Pakistan are part of the basal Palearctic maternal lineage. Using 32 scats, we found that red fox diet comprises of 80% animal-based prey species (both wild and domestic) and 19% plant matter. The wild animal prey species included Cape hare (Lepus capensis) and flying squirrel (Pteromyini sp.), which constituted 17% and 15% of diet, respectively. Red foxes infrequently consumed House mouse (Mus musculus), Himalayan Palm civet (Paguma larvata) and sheep (Ovis aries), each comprising around 6% to 9% of red fox diet. The fox species also scavenged on domestic donkey opportunistically. Based on our sampling, our study suggests that the red fox (V.v. griffithii) that occurs in Ayubia National Park and across the lesser Himalayan ranges belongs to Holarctic maternal lineage. The study also highlights consumption of plant seeds by red foxes, indicating it may play an important ecological role in seed dispersal in Ayubia National Park. Keywords: phylogenetics, diet, distribution, Vulpes vulpes, red fox, scats. A raposa-vermelha (Vulpes vulpes) e um carnivoro de medio porte que ocorre em diferentes regioes do Paquistao, porem ainda carece de dados cientificos sobre sua ecologia e distribuicao. O presente estudo investigou o status filogenetico e a dieta da raposa-vermelha (V.v. griffithii) que ocorre no Parque Nacional de Ayubia, Paquistao. Por meio de armadilhas fotograficas e analises moleculares, confirmamos a ocorrencia de raposa-vermelha na area de estudo. Com base no citocromo B mitocondrial (304 bp) e amostragem limitada, quase todas as raposas-vermelhas do Parque Nacional de Ayubia e areas circundantes do Himalaia se enquadram na linhagem materna holartica, enquanto as raposas-vermelhas encontradas nas planicies do Paquistao fazem parte da linhagem materna basal paleartica. Usando 32 fezes, descobrimos que a dieta da raposa-ver