Comparative craniometry and skull morphology of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus)

The aim of the present study was to test whether there are morphological and morphometrical differences between the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) (female – 9, male – 10) and the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) (female – 10, male – 10). Examinations were conducted on the skulls of captive-bred foxes aged about one year. Features describing the size of skull were generally strongly positively correlated with one another, so principal components analysis (PCA) was used. Red fox skulls were longer than those of arctic fox but had a more delicate construction. Arctic foxes had shortened facial part of the skull, and more compact mandible. PCA revealed differences in skull parameters of the two studied species of captive-bred foxes. Osteometric analysis of some cranial features revealed sexual differences in both studied species