Raccoon dog

Description

The raccoon dog ( Nyctereutes procyonoides,where "nycto-" from the Greek "night","ereutes" from the Greek "who wanders","procyon" = "raccoon") is a member of the Canidae family although it is often confused with the raccoons and rates.It is the only living species of the genus Nyctereutes,and its closest relative seems to be the fox (always canid),more than the domestic dog.The animal is also known by the Japanese name tanuki ( katakana : タ ヌ キ;kanji : 狸),and in Japanit is also historically considered a supernatural creature: see tanuki for mythological implications.