In a remarkable turn of events, wildlife enthusiasts and scientists are abuzz with the astonishing discovery of the world’s first dog-fox hybrid in Brazil.
In an August 2023 publication, researchers unveiled their groundbreaking discovery of the dog-fox hybrid. To unravel the mystery surrounding this unique creature, the team employed advanced cytogenetics and genetics techniques.
Their investigation yielded a crucial clue: the animal possessed 76 chromosomes, a significant departure from the chromosome counts seen in typical species. Normally, pampas foxes carry 74 chromosomes, while domestic dogs have 78. In the course of reproduction, offspring inherit an equal share of chromosomes from each parent. Consequently, dogs contribute 39 chromosomes, while pampas foxes contribute 37. When these genetic components merge during reproduction between a dog and a pampas fox, the result is a total of 76 chromosomes—a precise match with the chromosome count observed in the dog-fox hybrid, scientifically known as the dogxim.