<P> Foxes are generally smaller than some other members of the family Canidae such as wolves and jackals, while they may be larger than some within the family, such as Raccoon dogs . In the largest species, the red fox, males weigh on average between 4.1 and 8.7 kg (9.0 and 19.2 lb), while the smallest species, the fennec fox, weighs just 0.7 to 1.6 kg (1.5 to 3.5 lb). Fox - like features typically include a triangular face, pointed ears, an elongated rostrum, and a bushy tail . Foxes are digitigrade, and thus, walk on their toes . Unlike most members of the family Canidae, foxes have partially retractable claws . Fox vibrissae, or whiskers, are black . The whiskers on the muzzle, mystaciae vibrissae, average 100--110 mm (3.9--4.3 in) long, while the whiskers everywhere else on the head average to be shorter in length . Whiskers (carpal vibrissae) are also on the forelimbs and average 40 mm (1.6 in) long, pointing downward and backward . Other physical characteristics vary according to habitat and adaptive significance . </P> <P> Fox species differ in fur color, length, and density . Coat colors range from pearly white to black and white to black flecked with white or grey on the underside . Fennec foxes (and other species of fox adapted to life in the desert, such as kit foxes), for example, have large ears and short fur to aid in keeping the body cool . Arctic foxes, on the other hand, have tiny ears and short limbs as well as thick, insulating fur, which aid in keeping the body warm . Red foxes, by contrast, have a typical auburn pelt, the tail normally ending with white marking . A fox's coat color and texture may vary due to the change in seasons; fox pelts are richer and denser in the colder months and lighter in the warmer months . To get rid of the dense winter coat, foxes moult once a year around April; the process begins from the feet, up the legs, and then along the back . Coat color may also change as the individual ages . </P> <P> A fox's dentition, like all other canids, is I 3 / 3, C 1 / 1, PM 4 / 4, M 3 / 2 = 42 . (Bat - eared foxes have six extra molars, totaling in 48 teeth .) Foxes have pronounced carnassial pairs, which is characteristic of a carnivore . These pairs consist of the upper premolar and the lower first molar, and work together to shear tough material like flesh . Foxes' canines are pronounced, also characteristic of a carnivore, and are excellent in gripping prey . </P> <P> In the wild, the typical lifespan of a fox is one to three years, although individuals may live up to ten years . Unlike many canids, foxes are not always pack animals . Typically, they live in small family groups, but some (Arctic foxes) are known to be solitary . </P>

What is the closest relative to a fox