The Fennec fox, also known as the dessert fox, is the smallest fox species in the world. Linnaeus, known as the father of taxonomy, classified all foxes under the genus Vulpes-Fennec. Foxes are more specifically classified within the species as Vulpes zerda. As previously stated, Fennec foxes are the smallest fox species known - to give you a mental image, they are smaller than the typical domestic cat. Vulpes zerda's head and body are about eleven inches long, with a tail about seventeen inches long. The average female fox, a fox, weighs 0.8 kg. The male fox, a dog, is noticeably plumper and weighs an average of 1.8 kg. Unlike many animals in the animal kingdom, Fennec foxes are generally monogamous. The Encyclopedia of Life further explains that "the couple lives with their offspring in a family unit of up to ten individuals" ("Vulpes zerda: Fennec,"). The desert biome ecosystem is created due to the low average rainfall it receives every year. Although there are four main types of desert in this African biome: hot and dry, semi-arid, coastal and cold, the largest populations of Fennec foxes live in the northern, semi-arid part of the Sahara Desert. The countries within the Sahara Desert range from Mauritania to Sudan, encompassing over 3.3 million square miles. Rain is rare and usually torrential: half of the Sahara receives less than an inch per year, and the remainder receives up to 10 centimeters, most of which evaporates before hitting the ground. The Sahara Desert is a vast habitat that includes a variety of vegetation and animals. However, as in many deserts, vegetation is limited, the three best known plants in the Sahara Desert include: Bristle Grass, Ephedra and Merkba. Animals that live s...... center of paper ......erda/Asa, CS (2008). Vulpes zerda (fennec fox). Retrieved from http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41588/0Clayton, C. (2012). Relationships with other species. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/site/fennecfoxawareness/relationships-with-other-speciesFennec fox. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/fennec-fox/?Fennec foxes. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://interesting-animal-facts.com/Desert-Animal-Facts/Fennec-Fox-Facts.shtmlHarmon, B. (n.d.). The physical adaptations of the fennec fox. Retrieved from http://animals.pawnation.com/physical-adaptations-fennec-foxes-6101.htmlSeigfreid, D. (June 2010). Discovering biogeochemical cycles. Retrieved from http//ww.dummies.com/how-to/content/discovering-the-biogeochemical-cycles.htmlVulpes zerda: Fennec fox. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://eol.org/pages/328001/details