By using body measurements and weight data of culpeo fox Dusicyon culp
aeus Molina, 1782 and chilla fox D. griseus Gray, 1837 from the Chinch
illa National Reserve (north-central Chile) and Torres del Paine Natio
nal Park (southern Chile), the body size distribution of Chilean foxes
was analyzed and compared to data previously published by Fuentes and
Jaksic (1979). Contrary to those authors, our data show that not only
the larger but both species increase in size in southern Chile. Thus,
latitudinal size distribution of D. culpaeus and D. griseus may not b
e the result of character displacement through exploitation competitio
n, as previously interpreted, but of bioenergetic adaptations.