The Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) is a member of the canid family and is considered to be a species of dog although it is often confused with raccoons and badgers. It is the only species in its genus Nyctereutes. The animal is also known under the Japanese name tanuki, タヌキ. The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 157 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria Placozoa Bilateria Acoelomorpha Orthonectida Rhombozoa Myxozoa Superphylum Deuterostomia    Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders Subclass Monotremata Monotremata Subclass Marsupialia Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia Subclass Placentalia Xenarthra Dermoptera Desmostylia Scandentia Primates Rodentia Lagomorpha Insectivora Chiroptera Pholidota Carnivora Perissodactyla Artiodactyla Cetacea Afrosoricida Macroscelidea Tubulidentata Hyracoidea Proboscidea Sirenia The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals primarily characterized by the presence of mammary... Families Canidae Felidae Herpestidae Hyaenidae Mephitidae Mustelidae Nandiniidae Odobenidae Pinnipedia Procyonidae Ursidae Viverridae The diverse order Carnivora includes over 260 placental mammals. ... Genera Alopex Atelocynus Canis Cerdocyon Chrysocyon Cuon Dusicyon Fennecus Lycalopex Lycaon Nyctereutes Otocyon Pseudalopex Speothos Urocyon Vulpes Canidae is the family of carnivorous and omnivorous mammals commonly known as canines. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is a standard convention used for naming species. ... George Robert Gray (July 8, 1808 - May 6, 1872) was an English zoologist and author and head of the ornithological section of the British Museum in London for forty-one years. ... 1834 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Genera Alopex Atelocynus Canis Cerdocyon Chrysocyon Cuon Dusicyon Fennecus Lycalopex Lycaon Nyctereutes Otocyon Pseudalopex Speothos Urocyon Vulpes Canidae is the family of carnivorous and omnivorous mammals commonly known as canines. ... In biology, a species is a kind of organism. ... Genera Alopex Atelocynus Canis Cerdocyon Chrysocyon Cuon Dusicyon Fennecus Lycalopex Lycaon Nyctereutes Otocyon Pseudalopex Speothos Urocyon Vulpes Canidae is the family of carnivorous and omnivorous mammals commonly known as canines. ... Binomial name Procyon lotor (Linnaeus, 1758) The common raccoon (Procyon lotor), also known as the northern raccoon or just raccoon or coon, is a mammal native to the Americas. ... For other uses, see Badger (disambiguation). ... See genus (mathematics) for the use of the term in mathematics. ...

Raccoon Dogs are native to Japan, southeastern Siberia, and Manchuria but now range as far as Scandinavia and France. Average adult head and body length is about 65 cm (2 ft) and weight ranges from 4 to 10 kg (9 to 22 lb). Average litters consist of 5 pups. Longevity is 3-4 years in the wild and 11 years in captivity. They are found in both plains and mountainous regions and are especially common in woodlands. Siberian federal subjects of Russia Siberia ( Russian: Сиби́рь, common English transliterations: Sibir, Sibir; possibly from the Mongolian for the calm land) is a vast region of Russia and northern Kazakhstan constituting almost all of northern Asia. ... Extent according to Definition 1 (dark red), Definition 3 (dark red + medium red) and Definition 4 (dark red + medium red + light red) Northeast China (Simplified Chinese: 东北; Traditional Chinese: 東北; pinyin: ; literally east-north) and Manchuria (Manchu: Manju, Simplified Chinese: 满洲; Traditional Chinese: 滿洲; pinyin: ) are names of a region... Scandinavia, Fennoscandia, and the Kola Peninsula. ... Biologically, a woodland is differentiated from a forest. ...

Like other canines, they are omnivorous. However, their diets are atypically diverse, consisting of invertebrates, frogs, lizards, rodents and birds along with seeds and berries. Those living near the ocean will also eat crabs and scavenged marine life. In cold season they hibernate, having fattened themselves during the autumn, not unlike bears. Invertebrate is a term coined by Chevalier de Lamarck to describe any animal without a backbone or vertebra, like insects, squids and worms. ... Frogs are amphibians in the Order Anura, which includes frogs and toads. ... This page is about Lizards, the order of reptile. ... Families Many, see text The order Rodentia is the most numerous of all the branches on the mammal family tree. ... Orders Many - see section below. ... A SeeD is a term given to mercenaries trained and employed by Balamb Garden in the Final Fantasy VIII video game. ... Several types of berries from the market, but none of these are true berries. ... Sections Dromiacea Raninoida Heterotremata Thoracotremata The term crab is sometimes applied to several different groups of short (nose to tail) decapods with thick exoskeletons, but only members of the Brachyura are true crabs; other taxa, such as hermit crabs, porcelain crabs, king crabs, and horseshoe crabs are, despite superficial similarities... For other meanings, see Bear (disambiguation). ...

Raccoon Dogs are secretive and not very aggressive; generally hiding or screaming rather than fighting. They are monogamous; some fights occur between males for the females.

There is some debate in the scientific community at present regarding speciation between the Siberian (N. p. ussuriensis) and Chinese subspecies (N. p. procyonoides) and the Japanese raccoon dog subspecies (N. p. viverrinus) in that due to chromosome, behavioral and weight differences, the japanese raccoon dog should be considered a separate species from the two other subspecies. Speciation refers to the appearance of a new species of life on earth, particularly as seen in the fossil record. ... Figure 1: Chromosome. ... Behavior or behaviour refers to the actions or reactions of an object or organism, usually in relation to the environment. ...

Tanuki

In Japanese standard dialect, the Raccoon Dog is known as tanuki. Tanuki are commonly seen near villages in rural areas. They are wild animals that have been part of Japanese myth since ancient times. The mythical tanuki is reputed to be mischievous and jolly, a master of disguise and shapeshifting, but somewhat gullible and absent-minded. Shapeshifting, transformation or transmogrification refers to a change in the form or shape of a person. ...

Tanukis in folklore

The current humorous image of tanuki is thought to have been developed during the Kamakura era and onwards. During the Edo era, its stomach and testicles became huge to the point that the stomach started to double as a drum. However during the Kamakura and Muromachi eras, some stories began to include man-eating tanuki, and the image became that of a scarier monster. The otogizōshi story of "Kachi-kachi Yama" features a tanuki that clubs an old lady to death and serves her to her unknowing husband as "old lady soup". History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei The Kamakura period 1185 to 1333 is a period... History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei The Edo period (江戸時代) is a division of Japanese... History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei The Muromachi period (室町時代, also known as Muromachi era...

Other stories report tanuki as being harmless and productive members of society. Several shrines have stories of past priests who were tanukis in disguise. Shapeshifting tanuki are sometimes believed to be a transformation of the souls of household goods that were used for one hundred years or more. Shapeshifting, transformation or transmogrification refers to a change in the form or shape of a person. ...

A popular tale known as Bunbuku chagama is about a tanuki who fooled a monk by transforming into a tea-kettle. Another is about a tanuki who was fooling a hunter by disguising his arms as tree boughs, until he spread both arms at the same time and fell off the tree. Traditional belief is that to transform itself, a tanuki has to put a green leaf on its head. Bubuku Chagama is a Japanese folktale about a raccoon-dog, or tanuki, that uses its shapeshifting powers to reward its rescuer for his kindness. ...

Gold association

In metal sculpturing, tanuki skin were often used for thinning gold. As a result, tanuki sculptures were marketed as front yard decoration and good luck charm for bringing in prosperity [kin (gold) + tama (ball) = kintama (testicles), hence the large testicles]. Tanuki became associated with metal mines and metal craftwork.

Tanuki today

Statues of tanuki disguised in human form can be found outside many Japanese temples and restaurants. The characteristics of these statues include a flat cone-shaped hat, a big protruding belly and two big drum-like testicles touching the ground. According to the legends, the inflated belly and testicles are used as drums to scare wayfarers with noise: this is called tanuki tsuzumi and is a popular theme in netsuke and other arts, but in the statues it also means a charm of plenty and fertility. Japanese artists starting in the 17th century cleverly invented the miniature sculptures known as netsuke (Japanese:根付) to serve a very practical function. ...

Mario in his Tanooki Suit

Tanuki appear in modern art forms as well. In Super Mario Bros. 3, Mario has the ability to change into a tanuki by using a power-up called the 'Tanooki Suit'. While wearing the Tanooki Suit, Mario gains the ability to turn into a statue. Also, when Mario transforms into the similar Raccoon Mario, he uses a green leaf (Red in the Super Mario All-Stars version) to complete the shapeshifting, like the tanuki of legend. In the video game Animal Crossing, the store owner is a bipedal talking raccoon named "Tom Nook", which is a play on the word tanuki. In Studio Ghibli's film Pom Poko the shapeshifting tanuki are fighting construction workers, who are destroying their habitat, with use of their illusion powers. Mario wearing his Tanooki Suit File links The following pages link to this file: Raccoon Dog Tanooki Mario ... Super Mario Bros. ... For over 20 years, Mario has been the official video game mascot for Nintendo. ... Spoiler warning: Mario wearing the Tanooki Suit. ... Japan, is a video game franchise developed by United States on September 15th, 2002, later being made a Players Choice game. ... Tom Nook is a fictional shopkeeper raccoon from the Animal Crossing games. ... Studio Ghibli (スタジオジブリ) is a Japanese animation film studio. ... Pom Poko (平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ; Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko, Heisei-era Raccoon War Pom Poko) (1994) is an anime (Japanese animation) film written and directed by Takahata Isao at Studio Ghibli. ...

In nature, the tanuki faces problems similar to those which other wild animals also face. Its population has declined in recent years due to hunting, growth of urban areas, an increase of animals associated with human civilization such as pets and abandoned animals, and diseases that may be transmitted between them.

External links

• World Conservation Union article on raccoon dogs (http://www.canids.org/PUBLICAT/CNDNEWS2/racoondg.htm)