Researchers have discovered that what makes for a beautiful face in a fox, is similar to the features of an attractive human.

The study found that features seen in farmed foxes - such as flat faces and smaller jaws, as well as a large space between the height of the cranium and face - are the same features that humans find desirable.

The research, by the University of Cambridge, also discovered that the presence or absence of such desirable features alters parents’ treatment towards their offspring.

It has long been known that the bone structure of people’s faces determines their beauty and marks them out as a suitable mate.

However, scientists are interested in whether the shapes of faces relate to other desirable attributes in a mate, such as fertility, social status and health and now they think a friendly looking face might be an important signifier of good character.

Correlations between some of these attributes and beauty have been established, but scientists have said that as people live closely together, temperament and a friendly outlook are important characteristics in a partner too.

Biological anthropologist Irene Elia told The Economist that a suitable experiment had been performed on foxes five decades ago that answers some of the questions.

In 1959, Dmitry Belyaev, tried to breed tamer silver foxes, which could be more easily handled by farmers in the fur trade in Russia.

The geneticist found the selective breeding process, with focused on breeding the friendliest animals, created foxes with floppy ears, rounder skulls and flatter faces, with stubbier noses and shorter jaws that crowded their teeth.

He looked for foxes that displayed friendly behaviour that was not fearful or aggressive, but calm and eager and sociable.

According to Dr Elia, the link is hormonal and estradiol and serotonin, which regulate behaviour, also dictate some aspects of development.

In her research, published in the Quarterly Review of Biology, Dr Elia said in a sociable species such as the human race, people seek out those with friendly faces for partners.

She found that the same features of the foxes – flat faces, a small nose, more delicate jaw and large forehead – are sought after features of a partner for humans.

Dr Elia also said the presence of such characteristics in people’s children also plays a role in dictating how they treat their offspring.

More than 15 separate studies have shown that mothers treat prettier or more handsome children better than less attractive children, even if they claim they treat them equally.

In the animal kingdom, parents might neglect uglier offspring, resulting in their death, inadvertently making sure ‘beautiful’ features were passed on to the next generation.

If the features do indeed indicate an animal is friendlier and more sociable, as they do in foxes, these characteristic would also be passed down the genetic line.

Dr Elia said that in humans, attractive children are largely better adjusted and more popular than less attractive children, according to 33 studies. They are also believed to have higher intelligence and better social skills.

One study found that babies just a few days old preferred the faces of classically beautiful people, while another piece of research said people are more beautiful now than in the past, as beauty is evolving.

This has reportedly been shown by assessing the beauty of reconstructions of early humans.

While the studies seem to back up Dr Elia’s findings, they do not prove it, but her studies suggest facial beauty is not an arbitrary characteristic, but a sign of a good character.

(dailymail.co.uk)