The Mustelidae (; from Latin ''mustela'', weasel) are a family of
carnivorous mammal
Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...
s, including
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 bo ...
s,
badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the family Mustelidae (which also includes the otters, wolverines, martens, minks, polecats, weasels, and ferrets). Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united by ...
s,
otter
Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes wea ...
s,
ferret
The ferret (''Mustela furo'') is a small, Domestication, domesticated species belonging to the family Mustelidae. The ferret is most likely a domesticated form of the wild European polecat (''Mustela putorius''), evidenced by their Hybrid (biol ...
s,
martens,
minks and
wolverine
The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...
s, among others. Mustelids () are a diverse group and form the largest family in the suborder
Caniformia of the
order Carnivora
Carnivora is a Clade, monophyletic order of Placentalia, placental mammals consisting of the most recent common ancestor of all felidae, cat-like and canidae, dog-like animals, and all descendants of that ancestor. Members of this group are f ...
. They comprise about 66 to 70 species in nine subfamilies.
Variety
![Sthenictis1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Sthenictis1.JPG)
Mustelids vary greatly in size and behaviour. The smaller variants of the
least weasel can be under in length, while the
giant otter
The giant otter or giant river otter (''Pteronura brasiliensis'') is a South American carnivorous mammal. It is the longest member of the weasel family, Mustelidae, a globally successful group of predators, reaching up to . Atypical of muste ...
of
Amazonian South America can measure up to and
sea otter
The sea otter (''Enhydra lutris'') is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the small ...
s can exceed in weight.
Wolverine
The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...
s can crush bones as thick as the femur of a
moose
The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult ma ...
to get at the
marrow, and have been seen attempting to drive
bear
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nor ...
s away from their kills. The sea otter uses rocks to break open shellfish to eat.
Martens are largely
arboreal
Arboreal locomotion is the Animal locomotion, locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally, but others are exclusively arboreal. Th ...
, while
European badger
The European badger (''Meles meles''), also known as the Eurasian badger, is a badger species in the family Mustelidae native to almost all of Europe. It is classified as least concern on the IUCN Red List as it has a wide range and a large stabl ...
s dig extensive tunnel networks, called
sett
A sett or set is a badger's den. It usually consists of a network of tunnels and numerous entrances. The largest setts are spacious enough to accommodate 15 or more animals with up to of tunnels and as many as 40 openings. Such elaborate setts ...
s. Only one mustelid has been domesticated; the
ferret
The ferret (''Mustela furo'') is a small, Domestication, domesticated species belonging to the family Mustelidae. The ferret is most likely a domesticated form of the wild European polecat (''Mustela putorius''), evidenced by their Hybrid (biol ...
.
Tayra
The tayra (''Eira barbara'') is an omnivorous animal from the weasel family, native to the Americas. It is the only species in the genus ''Eira''.
Tayras are also known as the ''tolomuco'' or ''perico ligero'' in Central America, ''motete'' in ...
are also kept as pets (although they require a
Dangerous Wild Animals licence in the UK), or as working animals for hunting or vermin control. Others have been important in the
fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the mos ...
—the
mink is often
raised for its fur.
Being one of the most species-rich families in the order Carnivora, the family Mustelidae also is one of the oldest. Mustelid-like forms first appeared about 40 million years ago (Mya), roughly coinciding with the appearance of
rodent
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are na ...
s. The common ancestor of modern mustelids appeared about 18 Mya.
Characteristics
![Black-footed ferret skeleton](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Black-footed_ferret_skeleton.jpg)
Within a large range of variation, the mustelids exhibit some common characteristics. They are typically small animals with elongated bodies, short legs, short skulls, short, round ears, and thick fur. Most mustelids are solitary, nocturnal animals, and are active year-round.
With the exception of the sea otter, they have
anal scent gland
Anal may refer to:
Related to the anus
*Related to the anus of animals:
** Anal fin, in fish anatomy
** Anal vein, in insect anatomy
** Anal scale, in reptile anatomy
*Related to the human anus:
** Anal sex, a type of sexual activity involvi ...
s that produce a strong-smelling secretion the animals use for
sexual signaling
Sexual selection is a mode of natural selection in which members of one biological sex choose mates of the other sex to mate with (intersexual selection), and compete with members of the same sex for access to members of the opposite sex (i ...
and
marking territory
In ethology, territory is the sociographical area that an animal consistently defends against conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against animals of other species) using agonistic behaviors or (less commonly) real physical aggression. ...
.
Most mustelid reproduction involves
embryonic diapause Embryonic diapause (from late 19th century English: dia- ‘through’ + pause- 'delay') (aka delayed implantation in mammals) is an evolutionary reproductive strategy used by several animal species across a number of kingdoms, including approximate ...
. The
embryo
An embryo is an initial stage of development of a multicellular organism. In organisms that reproduce sexually, embryonic development is the part of the life cycle that begins just after fertilization of the female egg cell by the male spe ...
does not immediately implant in the
uterus
The uterus (from Latin ''uterus'', plural ''uteri'') or womb () is the organ in the reproductive system of most female mammals, including humans that accommodates the embryonic and fetal development of one or more embryos until birth. The uter ...
, but remains dormant for some time. No development takes place as long as the embryo remains unattached to the
uterine
The uterus (from Latin ''uterus'', plural ''uteri'') or womb () is the organ in the reproductive system of most female mammals, including humans that accommodates the embryonic and fetal development of one or more embryos until birth. The ...
lining. As a result, the normal gestation period is extended, sometimes up to a year. This allows the young to be born under favorable environmental conditions. Reproduction has a large energy cost, so it is to a female's benefit to have available food and mild weather. The young are more likely to survive if birth occurs after previous offspring have been
wean
Weaning is the process of gradually introducing an infant human or another mammal to what will be its adult diet while withdrawing the supply of its mother's milk.
The process takes place only in mammals, as only mammals produce milk. The infan ...
ed.
Mustelids are predominantly carnivorous, although some eat vegetable matter at times. While not all mustelids share an identical
dentition, they all possess teeth adapted for eating flesh, including the presence of shearing
carnassial
Carnassials are paired upper and lower teeth modified in such a way as to allow enlarged and often self-sharpening edges to pass by each other in a shearing manner. This adaptation is found in carnivorans, where the carnassials are the modified f ...
s. One characteristic trait is a meat-shearing upper-back molar that is rotated 90°, towards the inside of the mouth.
With variation between species, the most common
dental formula
Dentition pertains to the development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth. In particular, it is the characteristic arrangement, kind, and number of teeth in a given species at a given age. That is, the number, type, and morpho-physiolo ...
is .
Ecology
![Stoat killing a rabbit](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Stoat_killing_a_rabbit.jpg)
The
fisher
Fisher is an archaic term for a fisherman, revived as gender-neutral.
Fisher, Fishers or The Fisher may also refer to:
Places
Australia
*Division of Fisher, an electoral district in the Australian House of Representatives, in Queensland
*Elect ...
, tayra, and martens are partially arboreal, while badgers are
fossorial. A number of mustelids have aquatic lifestyles, ranging from
semiaquatic
In biology, semiaquatic can refer to various types of animals that spend part of their time in water, or plants that naturally grow partially submerged in water. Examples are given below.
Semiaquatic animals
Semi aquatic animals include:
* Ve ...
minks and
river otters to the
fully aquatic sea otter, which is one of the few nonprimate mammals known to
use tools while foraging. It uses "anvil" stones to crack open the shellfish that form a significant part of its diet. It is a "
keystone species", keeping its prey populations in balance so some do not outcompete the others and destroy the
kelp
Kelps are large brown algae seaweeds that make up the order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genera. Despite its appearance, kelp is not a plant - it is a heterokont, a completely unrelated group of organisms.
Kelp grows in "underwat ...
in which they live.
The
black-footed ferret is entirely dependent on another keystone species, the
prairie dog. A family of four ferrets eats 250 prairie dogs in a year; this requires a stable population of prairie dogs from an area of some .
Animals of similar appearance
Skunk
Skunks are mammals in the family Mephitidae. They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their anal glands. Different species of skunk vary in appearance from black-and-white to brown, cream or ginge ...
s were formerly included as a subfamily of the mustelids, but are now regarded as a separate family (Mephitidae).
Mongoose
A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Herpestidae. This family is currently split into two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Mungotinae. The Herpestinae comprises 23 living species that are native to so ...
s bear a striking resemblance to many mustelids, but belong to a distinctly different
suborder—the
Feliformia
Feliformia is a suborder within the order Carnivora consisting of "cat-like" carnivorans, including cats (large and small), hyenas, mongooses, viverrids, and related taxa. Feliformia stands in contrast to the other suborder of Carnivora, Canifor ...
(all those carnivores sharing more recent origins with the
cats) and not the
Caniformia (those sharing more recent origins with the
dogs). Because mongooses and mustelids occupy similar
ecological niche
In ecology, a niche is the match of a species to a specific environmental condition.
Three variants of ecological niche are described by
It describes how an organism or population responds to the distribution of resources and competitors (for ...
s,
convergent evolution
Convergent evolution is the independent evolution of similar features in species of different periods or epochs in time. Convergent evolution creates analogous structures that have similar form or function but were not present in the last com ...
has led to similarity in form and behavior.
Human uses
![Léonard de Vinci - Dame à l'](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/L%C3%A9onard_de_Vinci_-_Dame_%C3%A0_l%27.jpg)
Several mustelids, including the mink, the
sable (a type of marten), and the
stoat
The stoat (''Mustela erminea''), also known as the Eurasian ermine, Beringian ermine and ermine, is a mustelid native to Eurasia and the northern portions of North America. Because of its wide circumpolar distribution, it is listed as Least Conc ...
(ermine), possess
furs
Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an insulating blanket t ...
that are considered beautiful and valuable, so have been hunted since prehistoric times. From the early Middle Ages, the
trade in furs was of great economic importance for northern and eastern European nations with large native populations of fur-bearing mustelids, and was a major economic impetus behind Russian expansion into
Siberia
Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
and French and English expansion in North America. In recent centuries
fur farming, notably of mink, has also become widespread and provides the majority of the fur brought to market.
One species, the
sea mink
The sea mink (''Neogale macrodon'') is a recently extinct species of mink that lived on the eastern coast of North America around the Gulf of Maine on the New England seaboard. It was most closely related to the American mink (''Neogale vison' ...
(''Neogale macrodon'') of New England and Canada, was driven to
extinction
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
by fur trappers. Its appearance and habits are almost unknown today because no complete specimens can be found and no systematic contemporary studies were conducted.
The
sea otter
The sea otter (''Enhydra lutris'') is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the small ...
, which has the densest fur of any animal, narrowly escaped the fate of the sea mink. The discovery of large populations in the North Pacific was the major economic driving force behind Russian expansion into
Kamchatka
The Kamchatka Peninsula (russian: полуостров Камчатка, Poluostrov Kamchatka, ) is a peninsula in the Russian Far East, with an area of about . The Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk make up the peninsula's eastern and wes ...
, the
Aleutian Islands
The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a cha ...
, and
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
, as well as a cause for conflict with
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
and foreign hunters in the
Kuril Islands
The Kuril Islands or Kurile Islands (; rus, Кури́льские острова́, r=Kuril'skiye ostrova, p=kʊˈrʲilʲskʲɪjə ɐstrɐˈva; Japanese: or ) are a volcanic archipelago currently administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast in the ...
. Together with widespread hunting in California and British Columbia, the species was brought to the brink of extinction until an international moratorium came into effect in 1911.
Today, some mustelids are threatened for other reasons. Sea otters are vulnerable to
oil spills and the indirect effects of overfishing; the
black-footed ferret, a relative of the
European polecat
The European polecat (''Mustela putorius''), also known as the common polecat, black polecat, or forest polecat, is a species of mustelid native to western Eurasia and North Africa. It is of a generally dark brown colour, with a pale underbell ...
, suffers from the loss of American
prairie
Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...
; and
wolverine
The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...
populations are slowly declining because of habitat destruction and persecution. The rare
European mink
The European mink (''Mustela lutreola''), also known as the Russian mink and Eurasian mink, is a semiaquatic species of mustelid native to Europe.
It is similar in colour to the American mink, but is slightly smaller and has a less specialized ...
(''Mustela lutreola'') is one of the most
endangered
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...
mustelid species.
The
ferret
The ferret (''Mustela furo'') is a small, Domestication, domesticated species belonging to the family Mustelidae. The ferret is most likely a domesticated form of the wild European polecat (''Mustela putorius''), evidenced by their Hybrid (biol ...
, a domesticated European polecat, is a fairly common
pet
A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive appearances, intelligence ...
.
Evolution and systematics
The oldest known mustelid from North America is ''
Corumictis
''Corumictis'' is an extinct genus of mustelid from the Early Oligocene (Arikareean) of North America, specifically Oregon. It contains a single species ''Corumictis wolsani'', which is notable for being the oldest currently known mustelid.
Name
...
wolsani'' from the early and late Oligocene (early and late
Arikareean
The Arikareean North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 30,600,000 to 20,800,000 years BP, a period of . It is usuall ...
, Ar1–Ar3) of
Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
.
Middle Oligocene ''Mustelictis'' from Europe might be a mustelid, as well.
Other early fossils of the mustelids were dated at the end of the Oligocene to the beginning of the Miocene. Which of these forms are Mustelidae ancestors and which should be considered the first mustelids is unclear.
The fossil record indicates that mustelids appeared in the late Oligocene period (33 Mya) in Eurasia and migrated to every continent except Antarctica and Australia (all the continents that were connected during or since the early Miocene). They reached the Americas via the
Bering land bridge
Beringia is defined today as the land and maritime area bounded on the west by the Lena River in Russia; on the east by the Mackenzie River in Canada; on the north by 72 degrees north latitude in the Chukchi Sea; and on the south by the tip of ...
.
The 68 recent mustelids (66 extant species) are classified into eight subfamilies in 22 genera:
Subfamily
Taxidiinae
* Genus ''
Taxidea
The American badger (''Taxidea taxus'') is a North American badger similar in appearance to the European badger, although not closely related. It is found in the western, central, and northeastern United States, northern Mexico, and south-centr ...
''
**
American badger
The American badger (''Taxidea taxus'') is a North American badger similar in appearance to the European badger, although not closely related. It is found in the western, central, and northeastern United States, northern Mexico, and south-cent ...
, ''T. taxus''
Subfamily
Mellivorinae
* Genus ''
Mellivora
''Mellivora'' is a genus of mustelids that contains the honey badger or ratel ''(Mellivora capensis)''. It is also the sole living representative of the subfamily Mellivorinae. Additionally, two extinct species are known. The honey badger is nati ...
''
**
Honey badger
The honey badger (''Mellivora capensis''), also known as the ratel ( or ), is a mammal widely distributed in Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Because of its wide range and occurrence in a variety of habitats, it is liste ...
, ''M. capensis''
Subfamily
Melinae
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the family Mustelidae (which also includes the otters, wolverines, martens, minks, polecats, weasels, and ferrets). Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united by the ...
* Genus ''
Arctonyx
Hog badgers are three species of mustelid in the genus ''Arctonyx''. They represent one of the two genera in the subfamily Melinae, alongside the true badgers (genus '' Meles'').
Taxonomy
''Arctonyx'' was formerly considered a monotypic genus ...
''
**
Northern hog badger
The northern hog badger (''Arctonyx albogularis'') is a species of mustelid native to South and East Asia.
Taxonomy
It was formerly considered a subspecies of the greater hog badger (''A. collaris'') when ''A. collaris'' was considered the on ...
, ''A. albogularis''
**
Greater hog badger
The greater hog badger (''Arctonyx collaris'') is a very large terrestrial mustelid native to Southeast Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because the global population is thought to be declining due to h ...
, ''A. collaris''
**
Sumatran hog badger
The Sumatran hog badger (''Arctonyx hoevenii'') is a species of Mustelidae, mustelid Endemism, endemic to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.
Taxonomy
It was formerly considered a subspecies of the greater hog badger (''A. collaris''), when it ...
, ''A. hoevenii''
* Genus ''
Meles''
**
Japanese badger
The Japanese badger (''Meles anakuma'') is a species of carnivoran of the family Mustelidae, the weasels and their kin. Endemic to Japan, it is found on Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, and Shōdoshima. It shares the genus '' Meles'' with its close re ...
, ''M. anakuma''
**
Asian badger
The Asian badger (''Meles leucurus''), also known as the sand badger, is a species of badger native to Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Korean Peninsula and Russia.
Characteristics
The Asian badger is mostly lighter in colour than ...
, ''M. leucurus''
**
European badger
The European badger (''Meles meles''), also known as the Eurasian badger, is a badger species in the family Mustelidae native to almost all of Europe. It is classified as least concern on the IUCN Red List as it has a wide range and a large stabl ...
, ''M. meles''
**
Caucasian badger
The Caucasian badger (''Meles canescens'') or Southwest Asian badger is a species of badger native to Western Asia and some islands in the Mediterranean Sea.
Taxonomy
The Caucasian badger was formerly thought to be a subspecies of the European ...
, ''M. canescens''
Subfamily
Helictidinae
* Genus ''
Melogale''
**
Vietnam ferret-badger
The Vietnam ferret-badger (''Melogale cucphuongensis'') is a member of the family Mustelidae native to Vietnam. It was described in 2011 and is known from only two specimens.
Taxonomy
The Vietnam ferret-badger is a member of the genus '' Melogal ...
, ''M. cucphuongensis''
**
Bornean ferret-badger
The Bornean ferret badger (''Melogale everetti''), also known as Everett's ferret badger or the Kinabalu ferret badger, is a small, nocturnal and omnivorous mammal that is endemic to the island of Borneo. It is a member of the family Mustelidae a ...
, ''M. everetti''
**
Chinese ferret-badger
The Chinese ferret-badger (''Melogale moschata''), also known as the small-toothed ferret-badger is a member of the Mustelidae, and widely distributed in Southeast Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and considered tolerant ...
, ''M. moschata''
**
Javan ferret-badger
The Javan ferret-badger (''Melogale orientalis'') is a mustelid endemic to Java and Bali, Indonesia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and occurs from at least elevation in or close to forested areas.
Description
An adult Javan ...
, ''M. orientalis''
**
Burmese ferret-badger, ''M. personata''
**
Formosan ferret-badger
The Formosan ferret-badger (''Melogale subaurantiaca'') is a mustelid species endemic to Taiwan.
Taxonomy
It was formerly thought to be conspecific with the Chinese ferret-badger (''M. moschata''), but a 2019 genetic study found it to represent ...
, ''M. subaurantiaca''
Subfamily
Guloninae
Guloninae is a subfamily of the mammal family Mustelidae distributed across Eurasia and the Americas. It includes martens and the fisher, tayra and wolverine. These genera were formerly included within a paraphyletic definition of the mustelid su ...
* Genus ''
Eira
Eira is a neighborhood in Helsinki, the capital of Finland.
History
The district dates back to the early 20th century and received its name after Eira Hospital in the neighboring district of Ullanlinna, which in turn took its name from Eira ...
''
**
Tayra
The tayra (''Eira barbara'') is an omnivorous animal from the weasel family, native to the Americas. It is the only species in the genus ''Eira''.
Tayras are also known as the ''tolomuco'' or ''perico ligero'' in Central America, ''motete'' in ...
, ''E. barbara''
* Genus ''
Gulo
''Gulo'' is a genus of carnivoran mammals in the family Mustelidae. It contains one extant species, the wolverine (''G. gulo''), as well as several extinct ones. Fossil evidence suggests that this genus appeared in North America and later sprea ...
''
**
Wolverine
The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...
, ''G. gulo''
* Genus ''
Martes''
**
American marten, ''M. americana''
**
Pacific marten
The Pacific marten (''Martes caurina'') is a species of North American mammal, a member of the family Mustelidae. It is found throughout western North America.
Taxonomy
The species was formerly considered conspecific with the American marten ...
, ''M. caurina''
**
Yellow-throated marten
The yellow-throated marten (''Martes flavigula'') is a marten species native to Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to its wide distribution, evidently relatively stable population, occurrence in a number of protected are ...
, ''M. flavigula''
**
Beech marten
The beech marten (''Martes foina''), also known as the stone marten, house marten or white breasted marten, is a species of marten native to much of Europe and Central Asia, though it has established a feral population in North America. It is li ...
, ''M. foina''
**
Nilgiri marten, ''M. gwatkinsii''
**
European pine marten
The European pine marten (''Martes martes''), also known as the pine marten, is a mustelid native to and widespread in most of Europe, Asia Minor, the Caucasus and parts of Iran, Iraq and Syria. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. ...
, ''M. martes''
**
Japanese marten
The Japanese marten (''Martes melampus'') is a marten species endemic to Japan.
Description
It is in length typically, not counting a long tail, and between in weight. Males are generally larger than females. The pelage varies in color from ...
, ''M. melampus''
**
Sable, ''M. zibellina''
* Genus ''
Pekania
''Pekania'' is a genus of mustelid that contains a single living species, the fisher ''(Pekania pennanti)''. Formerly placed in the genus '' Martes'', it was determined to be distinct enough to be placed within its own genus. A 2013 study also id ...
''
**
Fisher
Fisher is an archaic term for a fisherman, revived as gender-neutral.
Fisher, Fishers or The Fisher may also refer to:
Places
Australia
*Division of Fisher, an electoral district in the Australian House of Representatives, in Queensland
*Elect ...
, ''P. pennanti''
Subfamily
Ictonychinae
Ictonychinae is a subfamily of the mammal family Mustelidae found mainly in the Neotropics (three species) and Africa (three species), with one Eurasian member. It includes the grisons, Patagonian weasel, striped polecats, African striped we ...
* Genus ''
Galictis
A grison , , also known as a South American wolverine, is any mustelid in the genus ''Galictis''. Native to Central and South America, the genus contains two extant species: the greater grison (''Galictis vittata''), which is found widely in So ...
''
**
Lesser grison
The lesser grison (''Galictis cuja'') is a species of mustelid from South America.
Description
Lesser grisons have a long, slender body, short legs, and a bushy tail. They have a long neck and a small head with a flattened forehead and rounded ea ...
, ''G. cuja''
**
Greater grison
The greater grison (''Galictis vittata'') is a species of mustelid native to Southern Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Description
The greater grison is a slender animal with short legs, a long neck, and a short, bushy tail. They are ...
, ''G. vittata''
* Genus ''
Ictonyx
''Ictonyx'' is a genus in the family Mustelidae (weasels). It contains two species:
* Saharan striped polecat
The Saharan striped polecat (''Ictonyx libycus''), also known as Saharan striped weasel and Libyan striped weasel, is a species of ...
''
**
Saharan striped polecat
The Saharan striped polecat (''Ictonyx libycus''), also known as Saharan striped weasel and Libyan striped weasel, is a species of mammal in the family Mustelidae.
Characteristics
The Saharan striped polecat is white with dark random stripes. I ...
, ''I. libycus''
**
Striped polecat
The striped polecat (''Ictonyx striatus''), also called the African polecat, zoril, zorille, zorilla, Cape polecat, and African skunk, is a member of the family Mustelidae that resembles a skunk (of the family Mephitidae). The name "zorilla" co ...
, ''I. striatus''
* Genus ''
Lyncodon
The Patagonian weasel (''Lyncodon patagonicus'') is a small mustelid that is the only member of the genus ''Lyncodon''. Its geographic range is the Pampas of western Argentina and sections of Chile. An early mention of the animal is in the Journa ...
''
**
Patagonian weasel
The Patagonian weasel (''Lyncodon patagonicus'') is a small mustelid that is the only member of the genus ''Lyncodon''. Its geographic range is the Pampas of western Argentina and sections of Chile. An early mention of the animal is in the Journa ...
, ''L. patagonicus''
* Genus ''
Poecilogale
The African striped weasel (''Poecilogale albinucha''), the lone member of the genus ''Poecilogale'', is a small, black and white weasel native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Description
The African striped weasel is one of the smallest mammalian carni ...
''
**
African striped weasel
The African striped weasel (''Poecilogale albinucha''), the lone member of the genus ''Poecilogale'', is a small, black and white weasel native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Description
The African striped weasel is one of the smallest mammalian carni ...
, ''P. albinucha''
* Genus ''
Vormela''
**
Marbled polecat
The marbled polecat (''Vormela peregusna'') is a small mammal belonging to the monotypic genus ''Vormela'' within the mustelid subfamily Ictonychinae. ''Vormela'' is from the German word , which means "little worm". The specific name ''pereg ...
, ''V. peregusna''
Subfamily
Lutrinae (
otter
Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes wea ...
s)
* Genus ''
Aonyx
''Aonyx'' is a genus of otters, containing three species, the African clawless otter, the Congo clawless otter, and the Asian small-clawed otter.
The word ''aonyx'' means "clawless", derived from the prefix '' a-'' ("without") and ''onyx'' ( ...
''
**
African clawless otter
The African clawless otter (''Aonyx capensis''), also known as the Cape clawless otter or groot otter, is the second-largest freshwater otter species. It inhabits permanent water bodies in savannah and lowland forest areas through most of sub- ...
, ''A. capensis''
**
Asian small-clawed otter, ''A. cinerea''
**
Congo clawless otter
The Congo clawless otter (''Aonyx congicus''), also known as the Cameroon clawless otter, is a species in the family Mustelidae. It was formerly recognised as a subspecies (''Aonyx capensis congicus'') of the African clawless otter. , ''A. congicus''
* Genus ''
Enhydra
''Enhydra'' is a genus of mustelid that contains the sea otter and two extinct relatives. It is the only extant genus of the bunodont otters group, referring to otters with non-blade carnassials with rounded cusps.
Sea otters probably diverged f ...
''
**
Sea otter
The sea otter (''Enhydra lutris'') is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the small ...
, ''E. lutris''
* Genus ''
Lontra
''Lontra'' is a genus of otters from the Americas.
Species
These species were previously included in the genus ''Lutra'', together with the Eurasian otter
The Eurasian otter (''Lutra lutra''), also known as the European otter, Eurasian river ...
''
**
North American river otter
The North American river otter (''Lontra canadensis''), also known as the northern river otter and river otter, is a semiaquatic mammal that only lives on the North American continent, along its waterways and coasts. An adult North American rive ...
, ''L. canadensis''
**
Marine otter
The marine otter (''Lontra felina'') is a rare and relatively unknown South American mammal of the weasel family ( Mustelidae). The scientific name means "otter cat", and in Spanish, the marine otter is also often referred to as : "marine c ...
, ''L. felina''
**
Neotropical otter, ''L. longicaudis''
**
Southern river otter
The southern river otter (''Lontra provocax'') is a species of otter that lives in Chile and Argentina. Although called a "river otter", it inhabits both marine and freshwater environments. It sometimes is considered a subspecies of ''Lontra cana ...
, ''L. provocax''
* Genus ''
Lutra
''Lutra'' is a genus of otters, one of seven in the subfamily Lutrinae.
Taxonomy and evolution
The genus includes these species:
Extant species
Extinct species
*†'' Lutra affinis''
*†'' Lutra bressana ''
*†'' Lutra bravardi''
*†'' ...
''
**
Eurasian otter
The Eurasian otter (''Lutra lutra''), also known as the European otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter, and Old World otter, is a semiaquatic mammal native to Eurasia. The most widely distributed member of the otter subfamily (Lutrinae) of th ...
, ''L. lutra''
**
Hairy-nosed otter
The hairy-nosed otter (''Lutra sumatrana'') is a semiaquatic mammal endemic to Southeast Asia and one of the rarest and least known otter species. It is threatened by loss of natural resources and poaching.
Description
The hairy-nosed otter has ...
, ''L. sumatrana''
**
Japanese otter
The (''Lutra nippon'') or Japanese river otter is an extinct species of otter formerly widespread in Japan.
Dating back to the 1880s, it was even seen in Tokyo. The population suddenly shrank in the 1930s, and the mammal nearly vanished. Since ...
. ''L. nippon''
* Genus ''
Hydrictis
The spotted-necked otter (''Hydrictis maculicollis''), or speckle-throated otter, is an otter native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Description
The spotted-necked otter is a relatively small species, with males measuring from nose to rump, and weighin ...
''
**
Spotted-necked otter
The spotted-necked otter (''Hydrictis maculicollis''), or speckle-throated otter, is an otter native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Description
The spotted-necked otter is a relatively small species, with males measuring from nose to rump, and weigh ...
, ''H. maculicollis''
* Genus ''
Lutrogale
''Lutrogale'' was proposed as generic name by John Edward Gray in 1865 for otters with a convex forehead and nose, using the smooth-coated otter '' L. perspicillata'' as type species.
The genus also contains the following extinct and fossil spec ...
''
**
Smooth-coated otter
The smooth-coated otter (''Lutrogale perspicillata'') is an otter species occurring in most of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with a disjunct population in Iraq. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1996 and is thre ...
, ''L. perspicillata''
* Genus ''
Pteronura
The giant otter or giant river otter (''Pteronura brasiliensis'') is a South American carnivorous mammal. It is the longest member of the weasel family, Mustelidae, a globally successful group of predators, reaching up to . Atypical of mustel ...
''
**
Giant otter
The giant otter or giant river otter (''Pteronura brasiliensis'') is a South American carnivorous mammal. It is the longest member of the weasel family, Mustelidae, a globally successful group of predators, reaching up to . Atypical of muste ...
, ''P. brasiliensis''
Subfamily
Mustelinae
Mustelinae is a subfamily of family Mustelidae, which includes weasels, ferrets and minks.
__TOC__
It was formerly defined in a paraphyletic manner to also include wolverines, martens, and many other mustelids, to the exclusion of the otters ( ...
(weasels, ferrets, and mink)
* Genus ''
Mustela''
**
Mountain weasel
The mountain weasel (''Mustela altaica''), also known as the pale weasel, Altai weasel or ''solongoi'', primarily lives in high-altitude environments, as well as rocky tundra and grassy woodlands. This weasel rests in rock crevices, tree trunks, ...
, ''M. altaica''
**
Stoat
The stoat (''Mustela erminea''), also known as the Eurasian ermine, Beringian ermine and ermine, is a mustelid native to Eurasia and the northern portions of North America. Because of its wide circumpolar distribution, it is listed as Least Conc ...
(Beringian ermine), ''M. erminea''
**
Steppe polecat, ''M. eversmannii''
**
Domestic 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''), evidenced by their interfertility. Other muste ...
, ''M. furo''
**
Haida ermine
The Haida ermine (''Mustela haidarum'') is a mustelid species endemic to a few islands off the Pacific Northwest of North America, namely Haida Gwaii in Canada and the southern Alexander Archipelago in the U.S. state of Alaska.
Indigenous name ...
, ''M. haidarum''
**
Japanese weasel
The Japanese weasel (''Mustela itatsi'') is a carnivorous mammal belonging to the genus '' Mustela'' in the family Mustelidae. The most closely related ''Mustela'' species is the Siberian weasel (''Mustela sibirica''). Its taxonomic species nam ...
, ''M. itatsi''
**
Yellow-bellied weasel
The yellow-bellied weasel (''Mustela kathiah'') is a species of weasel
Weasels are mammals of the genus ''Mustela'' of the family Mustelidae. The genus ''Mustela'' includes the least weasels, polecats, stoats, ferrets and European mi ...
, ''M. kathiah''
**
European mink
The European mink (''Mustela lutreola''), also known as the Russian mink and Eurasian mink, is a semiaquatic species of mustelid native to Europe.
It is similar in colour to the American mink, but is slightly smaller and has a less specialized ...
, ''M. lutreola''
**
Indonesian mountain weasel
The Indonesian mountain weasel (''Mustela lutreolina'') is a species of weasel that lives on the islands of Java and Sumatra
Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesia ...
, ''M. lutreolina''
**
Black-footed ferret, ''M. nigripes''
**
Least weasel, ''M. nivalis''
**
Malayan weasel
The Malayan weasel (''Mustela nudipes'') or Malay weasel is a weasel species native to the Malay Peninsula and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Description
The Malayan weasel is reddish-b ...
, ''M. nudipes''
**
European polecat
The European polecat (''Mustela putorius''), also known as the common polecat, black polecat, or forest polecat, is a species of mustelid native to western Eurasia and North Africa. It is of a generally dark brown colour, with a pale underbell ...
, ''M. putorius''
**
American ermine, ''M. richardsonii''
**
Siberian weasel
The Siberian weasel or kolonok (''Mustela sibirica''), is a medium-sized weasel native to Asia, where it is widely distributed and inhabits various forest habitats and open areas. It is therefore listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Desc ...
, ''M. sibirica''
**
Back-striped weasel
The back-striped weasel (''Mustela strigidorsa''), also called the stripe-backed weasel, is a weasel widely distributed in Southeastern Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List in view of its presumed large population, occurrence ...
, ''M. strigidorsa''
* Genus ''
Neogale
''Neogale'' is a genus of mustelid native to the Americas, ranging from Alaska south to Bolivia. Members of this genus are known as New World weasels.
Taxonomy
Members in this genus were formerly classified into the genera '' Mustela'' and '' ...
''
**
Amazon weasel
The Amazon weasel (''Neogale africana''), also known as the tropical weasel, is a species of weasel native to South America. It was first identified from a museum specimen mislabelled as coming from Africa, hence the scientific name.
Taxonomy
...
, ''N. africana''
**
Colombian weasel
The Colombian weasel (''Neogale felipei''), also known as Don Felipe's weasel, is a very rare species of weasel only known with certainty from the departments of Huila and Cauca in Colombia and nearby northern Ecuador (where it is only known fr ...
, ''N. felipei''
**
Long-tailed weasel
The long-tailed weasel (''Neogale frenata''), also known as the bridled weasel, masked ermine, or big stoat, is a species of mustelid distributed from southern Canada throughout all the United States and Mexico, southward through all of Central A ...
, ''N. frenata''
**
American mink
The American mink (''Neogale vison'') is a semiaquatic species of mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe, Asia and South America. Because of range expansion, the American mink i ...
, ''N. vison''
**
Sea mink
The sea mink (''Neogale macrodon'') is a recently extinct species of mink that lived on the eastern coast of North America around the Gulf of Maine on the New England seaboard. It was most closely related to the American mink (''Neogale vison' ...
, ''N. macrodon''
Fossil mustelids
Extinct genera of the family Mustelidae include:
* ''
Brachypsalis
''Brachypsalis'' is an extinct genus of mustelids, which existed during the Miocene period.
The genus was first described by E. D. Cope in 1890. A similar genus, ''Brachypsaloides'', was later identified as synonymous with ''Brachypsalis''. Co ...
''
* ''
Chamitataxus
''Chamitataxus'' is a prehistoric badger genus. ''Chamitataxus avitus'' is the only known species of the genus. ''Chamitataxus'' lived during the Late Miocene, around 6 million years ago in what is now North America. Out of the three taxid ...
''
* ''
Corumictis
''Corumictis'' is an extinct genus of mustelid from the Early Oligocene (Arikareean) of North America, specifically Oregon. It contains a single species ''Corumictis wolsani'', which is notable for being the oldest currently known mustelid.
Name
...
''
* ''
Cyrnaonyx
''Cyrnaonyx'' is an extinct genus of Lutrinae, otters from the Pleistocene. It was originally described by Helbing based on materials from France and he also attributed material from Corsica to it. The latter appeared to belong to another speci ...
''
* ''
Ekorus
''Ekorus ekakeran'' is a large, extinct mustelid mammal. Fossils, including largely complete skeletons, are known from the late Miocene of Kenya.
Description
''Ekorus'' reached almost , comparably to a wolf and much bigger than the modern hone ...
''
* ''
Enhydriodon
''Enhydriodon'' is an extinct genus of typically large otters that lived in what is now Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Chad, South Africa, Pakistan, and India from the late Miocene up to early Pleistocene. The otter is thought to be a relative of moder ...
''
* ''
Eomellivora
''Eomellivora'' is an extinct genus of prehistoric mustelids, closely related to the honey badger, known from Eurasia and North America, and tentatively Africa. It was one of the biggest mustelids ever known, bigger and more hypercarnivorous tha ...
''
* ''Hoplictis''
* ''
Megalictis
''Megalictis'' is an extinct genus of large predatory mustelids that existed in North America during the "cat gap" from the Late Arikareean (Ar4) in the Miocene epoch. It is thought to have resembled a huge ferret, with a body mass of up to .
...
''
* ''
Oligobunis
''Oligobunis'' is an extinct genus of mustelids, which existed during the Miocene epoch.
The genus was first described by E. D. Cope in 1881. Cope assigned the genus to the family Mustelidae, and J. A. Baskin assigned it to the subfamily Oligo ...
''
* ''
Plesictis
''Plesictis'' is an extinct prehistoric genus of mustelid (originally described as a procyonid) endemic to Europe during the Oligocene and Miocene 33.9—20.0 Ma existing for approximately .
''Plesictis'' was a long animal, resembling a weas ...
''
* ''
Sthenictis
''Sthenictis'' is an extinct genus in the weasel family (mustelids) endemic to North America and Asia during the Miocene epoch living from ~15.97—5.33 Ma ( AEO) existing for approximately .
Fossil distribution
The oldest specimen was uncovere ...
''
* ''
Teruelictis
''Teruelictis riparius'' is an extinct mammalian carnivoran, belonging to the family Mustelidae and was probably related to otters. The animal lived in the Upper Miocene and its fossils have been found in Spain. The animal was probably a terrestr ...
''
* ''Trochictis''
Phylogeny
Multigene phylogenies constructed by Koepfli et al. (2008)
and Law et al. (2018)
found that Mustelidae comprises eight living subfamilies. The early mustelids appear to have undergone two rapid bursts of diversification in Eurasia, with the resulting species spreading to other continents only later.
File:MustelidaePhylogeneticTree (edited).jpg, Phylogenetic tree of Mustelidae. Contains 53 of the 79 putative mustelid species.
File:Mustelidae timetree (edited).jpg, Time-calibrated tree of Mustelidae showing divergence times between lineages. Split times include: 28.8 million years ( Ma) for mustelids vs. procyonids; 17.8 Ma for Taxidiinae; 15.5 Ma for Mellivorinae; 14.8 Ma for Melinae; 14.0 Ma for Guloninae + Helictidinae; 11.5 Ma for Guloninae + Naquinae vs. Helictidinae; 12.0 Ma for Ictonychinae; 11.6 Ma for Lutrinae vs. Mustelinae.
Mustelid species diversity is often attributed to an adaptive radiation coinciding with the
mid-Miocene climate transition. Contrary to expectations, Law et al. (2018)
found no evidence for rapid bursts of lineage diversification at the origin of the Mustelidae, and further analyses of lineage diversification rates using molecular and fossil-based methods did not find associations between rates of lineage diversification and mid-Miocene climate transition as previously hypothesized.
See also
*
List of heaviest extant mustelids
Mustelidae is a family of mammals in the order Carnivora, which includes weasels, badgers, otters, ferrets, martens, minks, and wolverines, and many other extant and extinct genera. A member of this family is called a mustelid; Mustelida ...
References
Further reading
*
External links
The Mighty Weasel (February 19, 2020) – ''
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physics, physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomenon, phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. ...
''
{{Authority control
Carnivorans
Mammal families
Extant Oligocene first appearances
Taxa named by Gotthelf Fischer von Waldheim