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Putorius
Polecats (subgenus ''Putorius'') are Mustelidae, mustelids in the genus Weasel, ''Mustela''. It includes four living species — the black-footed ferret or American polecat (''Mustela nigripes''), the domestic ferret (''Mustela furo''), the European polecat (''Mustela putorius''), and the steppe polecat (''Mustela eversmanii''). Polecats share the genus ''Mustela'' with members of the subgenera ''Lutreola'' and ''Mustela''. ''Putorius'' was first described in 1817 by Georges Cuvier and included multiple related species. This was until 1877 when ''Putorius'' was reclassified to only include three species. In 1982, the subgenus ''Cynomyonax'' (black-footed ferrets) was merged into ''Putorius''. The common ancestor of all species in ''Putorius'' used to live in central Eurasia. Eventually, a population of steppe polecat migrated to North America and evolved into the black-footed ferret. Taxonomy A subspecies with the name ''Putorius'' was first described by Georges Cuvier in his ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Striped Polecat
The striped polecat (''Ictonyx striatus''), also called the African polecat, zoril, zorille, zorilla, African muishond, striped muishond, Cape polecat, and African skunk, is a species of mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. Despite bearing some resemblance to a skunk (of the family Mephitidae), it actually belongs in a separate family known as the Mustelidae, and genetic analysis suggests that its closest living relative is the African striped weasel. Historically, this species has been wrongly classified as a type of skunk or sloth. It is adaptable and lives in a wide range of habitats and elevations, with a preference for open environments that have lower levels of shrubs, especially ones where large ungulates are present to control shrub growth. It avoids dense rainforests and deserts with no scrub cover, thus being absent from the Congo Basin, the more coastal areas of West Africa, and the driest parts of Somalia and Ethiopia. Measuring in length excluding the tail, the str ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black-footed Ferret
The black-footed ferret (''Mustela nigripes''), also known as the American polecatHeptner, V. G. (Vladimir Georgievich); Nasimovich, A. A; Bannikov, Andrei Grigorovich; Hoffmann, Robert S. (2001)''Mammals of the Soviet Union''Volume: v. 2, pt. 1b. Washington, D.C. : Smithsonian Institution Libraries and National Science Foundation. or prairie dog hunter, is a species of mustelid native to central North America. The black-footed ferret is roughly the size of a mink and is similar in appearance to the European polecat and the Asian steppe polecat. It is largely nocturnal and solitary, except when breeding or raising litters. Up to 90% of its diet is composed of prairie dogs. The species declined throughout the 20th century, primarily as a result of decreases in prairie dog populations and sylvatic plague. It was declared extinct in 1979, but a residual wild population was discovered in Meeteetse, Wyoming in 1981. A captive-breeding program launched by the United States Fish an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mustela Stromeri
''Mustela stromeri'' is an extinct medium-sized species of mustelid and was the earliest known true species of polecat. It is ancestral to all modern ferrets and polecats. Taxonomy ''Mustela stromeri'', along with a number of other mustelid species, was first described by Hungarian geologist Tivadar Kormos in 1934, in the large village of Beremend. Its smaller size suggests that the subgenus ''Putorius'' (ferrets and polecats) evolved at a more recent date, presumably during the Villafranchian. ''Mustela stromeri'' is ancestral to modern ferrets and polecats. The steppe polecat and European polecat evolved from ''Mustela stromeri'' in the Middle Pleistocene, whereas the black-footed ferret probably evolved from the former around 0.5 to 2 million years ago. Range ''Mustela stromeri'' was a mustelid believed have lived in vast territories of central Eurasia until its extinction during the Middle Pleistocene. Often, ''Mustela stromeri'' was found in Eastern Europe. Its remains ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
European Polecat
The European polecat (''Mustela putorius''), also known as the common polecat, black polecat and forest polecat, is a mustelid species native to Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. It is of a generally dark brown colour, with a pale underbelly and a dark mask across the face. Occasionally, colour mutations including albinos, leucists, isabellinists, xanthochromists, amelanists, and erythrists occur. It has a shorter, more compact body than other '' Mustela'' species, a more powerfully built skull and dentition, is less agile, and is well known for having the characteristic ability to secrete a particularly foul-smelling liquid to mark its territory. It is much less territorial than other mustelids, with animals of the same sex frequently sharing home ranges. Like other mustelids, the European polecat is polygamous, with pregnancy occurring after mating, following induced ovulation. It usually gives birth in early summer to litters consisting of five to ten kits, which ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ferret
The ferret (''Mustela furo'') is a small, domesticated species belonging to the family Mustelidae. The ferret is most likely a domesticated form of the wild European polecat (''Mustela putorius''), as evidenced by the ferret's ability to interbreed with European polecats and produce hybrid offspring. Physically, ferrets resemble other mustelids because of their long, slender bodies. Including their tail, the average length of a ferret is about ; they weigh between ; and their fur can be black, brown, white, or a mixture of those colours. The species is sexually dimorphic, with males being considerably larger than females. Ferrets may have been domesticated since ancient times, but there is widespread disagreement because of the sparseness of written accounts and the inconsistency of those which survive. Contemporary scholarship agrees that ferrets were bred for sport, hunting rabbits in a practice known as rabbiting. In North America, the ferret has become an increasingly pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ferret 2008
The ferret (''Mustela furo'') is a small, domesticated species belonging to the family Mustelidae. The ferret is most likely a domesticated form of the wild European polecat (''Mustela putorius''), as evidenced by the ferret's ability to interbreed with European polecats and produce hybrid offspring. Physically, ferrets resemble other mustelids because of their long, slender bodies. Including their tail, the average length of a ferret is about ; they weigh between ; and their fur can be black, brown, white, or a mixture of those colours. The species is sexually dimorphic, with males being considerably larger than females. Ferrets may have been domesticated since ancient times, but there is widespread disagreement because of the sparseness of written accounts and the inconsistency of those which survive. Contemporary scholarship agrees that ferrets were bred for sport, hunting rabbits in a practice known as rabbiting. In North America, the ferret has become an increasingly promin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mustela
Weasels are mammals of the genus ''Mustela'' of the family Mustelidae. The genus ''Mustela'' includes the least weasels, polecats, stoats, ferrets, and European mink. Members of this genus are small, active predators, with long and slender bodies and short legs. The family Mustelidae, or mustelids (which also includes badgers, otters, and wolverines), is often referred to as the "weasel family". In the UK, the term "weasel" usually refers to the smallest species, the least weasel (''M. nivalis''), the smallest carnivoran species. Least weasels vary in length from , females being smaller than the males, and usually have red or brown upper coats and white bellies; some populations of some species moult to a wholly white coat in winter. They have long, slender bodies, which enable them to follow their prey into burrows. Their tails may be from long. Weasels feed on small mammals and have from time to time been considered vermin because some species took poultry from farms ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steppe Polecat
The steppe polecat (''Mustela eversmanii''), also known as the white or masked polecat, is a species of mustelid native to Central and Eastern Europe and Central and East Asia.It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List because of its wide distribution, occurrence in a number of protected areas, and tolerance to some degree of habitat modification. It is generally of a very light yellowish colour, with dark limbs and a dark mask across the face. Compared to its relative, the European polecat, the steppe polecat is larger in size and has a more powerfully built skull. The steppe polecat is a nomadic animal which typically only settles in one area until its prey, mainly ground squirrels, are extirpated. It mates from March to May, and generally gives birth to litters of three to six kits, which attain their full growth at the age of two years. It hunts for larger prey than the European polecat, including pikas and marmots. Evolution The earliest true polecat was '' Must ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ferret
The ferret (''Mustela furo'') is a small, domesticated species belonging to the family Mustelidae. The ferret is most likely a domesticated form of the wild European polecat (''Mustela putorius''), as evidenced by the ferret's ability to interbreed with European polecats and produce hybrid offspring. Physically, ferrets resemble other mustelids because of their long, slender bodies. Including their tail, the average length of a ferret is about ; they weigh between ; and their fur can be black, brown, white, or a mixture of those colours. The species is sexually dimorphic, with males being considerably larger than females. Ferrets may have been domesticated since ancient times, but there is widespread disagreement because of the sparseness of written accounts and the inconsistency of those which survive. Contemporary scholarship agrees that ferrets were bred for sport, hunting rabbits in a practice known as rabbiting. In North America, the ferret has become an increasingly pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Weasel
Weasels are mammals of the genus ''Mustela'' of the family Mustelidae. The genus ''Mustela'' includes the least weasels, polecats, stoats, ferrets, and European mink. Members of this genus are small, active predators, with long and slender bodies and short legs. The family Mustelidae, or mustelids (which also includes badgers, otters, and wolverines), is often referred to as the "weasel family". In the UK, the term "weasel" usually refers to the smallest species, the least weasel (''M. nivalis''), the smallest carnivoran species. Least weasels vary in length from , females being smaller than the males, and usually have red or brown upper coats and white bellies; some populations of some species moult to a wholly white coat in winter. They have long, slender bodies, which enable them to follow their prey into burrows. Their tails may be from long. Weasels feed on small mammals and have from time to time been considered vermin because some species took poultry fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
