Vulpine vs Porcupine - What's the difference?
vulpine | porcupine |
Pertaining to a fox.
* 1910 , (Saki), ‘The Bag’, Reginald in Russia :
Having the characteristics of a fox, foxlike; cunning.
Any of certain canids called foxes (including the true foxes, the arctic fox and the grey fox); distinguished from the canines, which are regarded as similar to the dog and wolf .
* 1980 , Michael Wilson Fox, The Soul of the Wolf ,
A person considered vulpine (cunning); a fox.
Any of several rodents of either of the taxonomic families Hystricidae (Old World porcupines) or Erethizontidae (New World porcupines), noted for their sharp spines or quills, which are raised when the animal is attacked or surprised.
* 1981 , Adolph Murie, The Grizzlies of Mount McKinley ,
* 2010 , Richard Potts, Early Hominid Activities at Olduvai ,
* 2011 , John P. Rafferty, Rats, Bats, and Xenarthrans ,
As nouns the difference between vulpine and porcupine
is that vulpine is any of certain canids called foxes (including the true foxes, the arctic fox and the grey fox); distinguished from the canines, which are regarded as similar to the dog and wolf while porcupine is any of several rodents of either of the taxonomic families hystricidae (old world porcupines) or erethizontidae (new world porcupines), noted for their sharp spines or quills, which are raised when the animal is attacked or surprised.As an adjective vulpine
is pertaining to a fox.vulpine
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- She dared not raise her eyes above the level of the tea-table, and she almost expected to see a spot of accusing vulpine blood drip down and stain the whiteness of the cloth.
Noun
(en noun)unnumbered page,
- The family Canidae consists of two main subgroups, the vulpines (foxes) and the canines (wolves, coyotes, jackals, and dogs), and some intermediate “fox-dog” forms from South America.
See also
* canine * lupine * Vulpini (tribe within subfamily Caninae) ----porcupine
English
(wikipedia porcupine)Noun
(en noun)page 218,
- I have no evidence of grizzlies killing porcupines' or vice versa. However, occasionally there is contact and sometimes a grizzly is injured or a ' porcupine killed, but the latter is rare.
page 81,
- In particular, porcupines , hyenas, and leopards are known in Africa to transport bones to particular places.
page 113,
- Old World porcupines' (Hystricidae) have quills embedded in clusters, whereas in New World '''porcupines''' (Erethizontidae) single quills are interspersed with bristles, underfur, and hair. No ' porcupine can throw its quills, but they detach easily and will remain embedded in an attacker.