Black-striped Weasel
Encyclopedia
The Back-striped Weasel (Mustela strigidorsa) is one of the most enigmatic mammal
s in the north-east Oriental region, even though it occurs from Nepal east through north east India
, Myanmar
and southern China
to Vietnam
, and south to central Laos
at altitudes from 1000m to 2500m.
It is distinguished from all other species of Mustela by the presence of a narrow silvery dorsal streak extending from the occiput almost to the root of the tail, and of a corresponding yellowish ventral streak from the chest along the abdomen.
The general body colour of the dorsal surface varies from deep to paler chocolate brown, sometimes a little paler on the head and usually slightly darkened along the side of the dorsal streak. The tail and limbs are similar in shade as dorsal body surface. The upper lip from rhinarium, the chin and the throat up to the level of the ears are pale varying from whitish to ochre. On the hind throat and fore chest the pale hue gradually narrows in extent and is quite narrow between the fore legs, where it passes into the ventral streak, which expands on the inguinal region between thighs.
The soles of the feet are naked. The tail is small in size being almost between one third to one half the length of the head and body, and bushy. The length of head and body of a female from Laos
was around 285 mm while the tail length was 152 mm.
Very little is known about its behaviour and biology. So far only eight animals of this species have been examined scientifically: three from Sikkim, and one each from Nepal
, Laos
, Myanmar
, Tanintharyi and Thailand
. Any recent sighting may have gone unreported. In Naga hills
it was seen stalking a large bandicoot
. The specimen from Myanmar came from dense hill jungle.
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s in the north-east Oriental region, even though it occurs from Nepal east through north east India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
and southern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, and south to central Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
at altitudes from 1000m to 2500m.
It is distinguished from all other species of Mustela by the presence of a narrow silvery dorsal streak extending from the occiput almost to the root of the tail, and of a corresponding yellowish ventral streak from the chest along the abdomen.
The general body colour of the dorsal surface varies from deep to paler chocolate brown, sometimes a little paler on the head and usually slightly darkened along the side of the dorsal streak. The tail and limbs are similar in shade as dorsal body surface. The upper lip from rhinarium, the chin and the throat up to the level of the ears are pale varying from whitish to ochre. On the hind throat and fore chest the pale hue gradually narrows in extent and is quite narrow between the fore legs, where it passes into the ventral streak, which expands on the inguinal region between thighs.
The soles of the feet are naked. The tail is small in size being almost between one third to one half the length of the head and body, and bushy. The length of head and body of a female from Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
was around 285 mm while the tail length was 152 mm.
Very little is known about its behaviour and biology. So far only eight animals of this species have been examined scientifically: three from Sikkim, and one each from Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
, Tanintharyi and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Any recent sighting may have gone unreported. In Naga hills
Naga hills
Naga hills, reaching a height of around 3825 metres, lie on the border of India and Burma . These hills are part of a complex mountain system, and the parts of the mountain ranges inside the Indian state of Nagaland and the Burmese region of Sagaing are called the Naga Hills.In British India, the...
it was seen stalking a large bandicoot
Bandicoot
Bandicoots are a group of about 20 species of small to medium-sized, terrestrial marsupial omnivores in the order Peramelemorphia.- Etymology :...
. The specimen from Myanmar came from dense hill jungle.