Otocyon Megalotis Megalotis

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in biology, Otocyon Megalotis Megalotis (Alias:South African Bat-eared Fox) It is the nominated subspecies of Otocyon megalotis,  It is the only extant species of the genus Otocyon and considered a basal canid species. Fossil records indicate this canid first appeared during the middle Pleistocene.

Distributed in southern Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa

Bat-eared foxes are relatively small canids, ranging in weight from 3 kg to 5.3 kg. Head and body length is 46–66 cm, tail length is 23–34 cm, shoulder height is 30–40 cm, and the notably large ears are 11–13 cm long.

Generally, the pelage is tan-colored, with gray agouti guard hairs, giving its grizzled appearance, appearing more buff on the sides. The undersides and throat are pale. The limbs are dark, shading to dark brown or black at their extremities. The muzzle, the tip and upperside of the tail and the facial mask are black. The insides of the ears are white. Individuals of the East African subspecies, O. m. virgatus, tend toward a buff pelage with dark brown markings, as opposed to the black of O. m. megalotis. Proportionally large ears of bat-eared foxes, a characteristic shared by many other inhabitants of hot, arid climates, help to distribute heat. They also help in locating prey.

It is named for its large ears, which have a role in thermoregulation. The bat referred to in its colloquial name is possibly the Egyptian slit-faced bat (Nycteris thebaica), which is abundant in the region and has very large ears. Although not commonly used, other vernacular names include big-eared fox, black-eared fox, long-eared fox, Delalande's fox, cape fox,[note 1] and motlosi.