The oldest fox in Africa is Vulpes riffautae from the Late
Miocene (c. 7 Ma) of Toros-Menalla, Chad (de Bonis et al.,
2007). This may, in fact, be the oldest canid found outside
North America, rivalled only by ‘‘Canis’’ cipio from approximately
coeval sediments in Spain (Crusafont Pairo´, 1950).
After this time, the Vulpini of northern, eastern and southern
Africa appear to follow separate evolutionary trajectories.
Vulpes riffautae is clearly distinct from all living foxes, but its
phylogenetic relationships within the tribe are not known.
Nyctereutes spp. has been reported from several regions of
Africa. In North Africa, N. abdesalami, an undoubted
Nyctereutes close to Eurasian species, has been reported from