Horváth Géza (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 23. (Budapest 1926)

Ognev, S. I.: A systematic review of the mammals of Russia

which is the fox that lives to the west of the Souram mountain range, in the triangle formed by the Svanetsky, Raginsky and Meskiesky mountainranges, that is in the group of the Rion, in the gvt. of Kutaiss. Further, as I have already mentioned, it is of great importance to clear up the question of the systematical position of the mountainous fox of central and south Daghestan. In the vertical distribution the V. v. alticola reaches high: so, for instance, KALINOVSKY, during several days observed a family of red-haired foxes on the summit of the Nepis-Zuchro (in the Adjarsk mountain-range) at the height of 9000' above the level of the sea. Vulpes vulpes Alpherakyi SATUN. (1905). The fox of the Transcaucasian steppe. 1903. Vulpes leucopus SATUNIN, A review of the exploration of Mammals of Caucasus. (Memoirs of the Caucas. Section of the Imp. Geogr. Society, XXIV. p. 55). 1905. Vulpes alpherakyi SATUNIN, Neue und wenig bekannte Säugetiere aus dem Kaukasus. (Mitteil, des Kaukasisch. Museums, II, s. 71—73) ; die Säuget, des Talyschgebietes und der Mugansteppe, 1. c, II, p. 306. 1914. Vulpes alpherakyi DINNICK, Mammals of the Caucasus, II, p. 466—467. Type locality. — Geok-Tapa, district of Aresh, gvt. of Elisavetpol. Diagnosis. — Basal ground of the back of a dirty-brownish or a red-greyish colouring is strongly streaked with black and white. Along the spine stretches with a different distinctiveness a reddish stripe, also with a considerable brownish white and blackish ripple. From eye to lip stretches also a rather broad blackish stripe. Black pattern on the paws is markedly developed. Colouring of belly of white-bellied foxes is of a dirty dusky-grey. Skull is smaller in size than that of other Caucasian foxes. Nasal part of skull is narrower at the top and more sloping in profile, than that of other forms ; braincase, relatively to general length of skull is shorter; [nasal part, relatively to shortened brain-case — is longer (inverse correlation, than with V. v. alticola!). General length of skull of cfcf 132—138*9, of ÇÇ 125—126; condylobasal length of cfcf 130—135; of 99 127*7; zygomatic breadt of cfcf 69—75*5 of 99 68; utmost breadth of skull of cfcf 43—46-2, of 99 42; length of brain-case of cfcf 57*2, of 99 54*4; length of facial part of cfcf 58*7—61*1, of 99 53*3 ; height of skull of cfcf 49—50, of 99 47; length of upper tooth-row of cfcf 60*6—64*2, of 99 57*3. Systematic remarks. — Describing the skull of the V. v. Alpherakyi, SATUNIN (1915) says: „the crista sagittalis usually branches out, already on the back third of the parietal bones, by far not reaching the bregma (fronto parietal suture)."