Mustelidae
Encyclopedia
Mustelidae commonly referred to as the weasel family, are a family of carnivorous
mammal
s. Mustelids are diverse and the largest family in the order
Carnivora, at least partly because in the past it has been a catch-all category for many early or poorly differentiated taxa. The internal classification seems to be still quite unsettled, with rival proposals containing between two and eight subfamilies. One study published in 2008 questions the long accepted Mustelinae subfamily, and suggests that Mustelidae consists of four major clade
s and three much smaller lineages
.
relatively primitive and so were difficult to classify until genetic evidence started to become available. The increasing availability of such evidence may well result in some members of the family being moved to their own separate families, as has already happened with the skunk
s, previously considered to be members of the mustelid family.
Mustelids vary greatly in size and behavior. The least weasel
is not much larger than a mouse
. At the other end of the scale, giant otter
can measure up to 2.4 metres (7.9 ft) in total length and sea otter
s can exceed 45 kilograms (99.2 lb). The wolverine
can crush bones as thick as the femur of a moose
to get at the marrow
, and has been seen attempting to drive bear
s away from its kill. The sea otter uses rocks to break open shellfish to eat. The marten
is largely arboreal, while the badger
digs extensive networks of tunnels, called sett
s. Some mustelids have been domesticated. The ferret
and the tayra
are kept as pets (although the tayra requires 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 mink
is often raised for its fur
.
As well as one of the most species-rich families in the order Carnivora
, mustelidae is one of the oldest. Mustelid-like forms first appeared about 40 million years ago, roughly coinciding with the appearance of rodent
s. The direct ancestors of the modern mustelids first appeared about 15 million years ago.
Mustelids, with the exception of the sea otter
, have anal scent glands that produce a strong-smelling secretion the animals use for sexual signaling and for marking territory.
Most mustelid reproduction involves embryonic diapause
. The embryo
does not immediately implant in the uterus
, but remains dormant for a period of time. No development takes place as long as the embryo remains unattached to the uterine
lining. As a result, the normal gestation period is extended, sometimes up to a year. This allows the young to be born under more favorable environmental conditions. Reproduction has a large energy cost and 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 weaned.
Mustelids are predominantly carnivorous, although some will sometimes eat vegetable matter. While not all mustelids share an identical dentition
, they all possess teeth adapted for eating flesh, including the presence of shearing carnassial
s. Although there is variation between species, the most common dental formula is:
. The sea otter is one of the few non-primate mammals known to use a tool 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 they do not destroy the kelp
in which they live.
The black-footed ferret
is entirely dependent on another keystone species, the prairie dog
. A family of four ferrets will eat 250 prairie dogs in a year. The ferrets require a prairie dog colony of 500 acres (2 km²) to maintain a stable population to support their predation.
The Mongoose
and the meerkat
bear a striking resemblance to many mustelids but belong to a distinctly different suborder
- the Feliformia
(all those carnivores sharing more recent origins with the Felidae
) and not the Caniformia
(those sharing more recent origins with the Canidae
). Because the mongoose and the mustelids occupy similar ecological niche
s, convergent evolution
has led to some similarity in form and behavior.
, the sable
(a type of marten) and the stoat
(ermine
), boast exquisite and valuable furs and have been accordingly hunted since prehistoric times. Since 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
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
(Neovison macrodon) of New England and Canada, was driven to extinction
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
, 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 Russia
n expansion into Kamchatka, the Aleutian islands and Alaska
, as well as a cause for conflict with Japan
and foreign hunters in the Kuril Islands
. 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 spill
s and the indirect effects of overfishing; the black-footed ferret
, a relative of the European polecat
, suffers from the loss of American prairie
; and wolverine
populations are slowly declining because of habitat destruction and persecution. The rare European mink Mustela lutreola is one the most endangered mustelid species.
One mustelid, the domestic ferret
(Mustela putorius furo), has been domesticated since ancient times, originally for hunting rabbits and pest control.
One reference work suggests that Mustelidae should be divided into just two extant subfamilies, denoted Lutrinae and Mustelinae.
Koepfli et al. (2008) counters that Mustelinae is not a valid taxon, proposing instead that the Mustelidae are divided into four major clade
s and three, much smaller, lineage
s. The early mustelids appear to have undergone two rapid bursts of diversification in Eurasia, with the resulting species only spreading to other continents later.
Examination of the mitochondrial DNA suggests that the Taxidiinae diverged first, followed by Melinae. Lutrinae and Mustelinae are sister clades. The position of the Helictidinae is unclear because the mitochondrial evidence suggests they are related to Lutrinae-Mustelinae clade but the intron data suggests a relationship to Martinae.
FAMILY MUSTELIDAE (57 species in 22 genera)
Carnivora
The diverse order Carnivora |Latin]] carō "flesh", + vorāre "to devour") includes over 260 species of placental mammals. Its members are formally referred to as carnivorans, while the word "carnivore" can refer to any meat-eating animal...
mammal
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. Mustelids are diverse and the largest family in the order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
Carnivora, at least partly because in the past it has been a catch-all category for many early or poorly differentiated taxa. The internal classification seems to be still quite unsettled, with rival proposals containing between two and eight subfamilies. One study published in 2008 questions the long accepted Mustelinae subfamily, and suggests that Mustelidae consists of four major clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
s and three much smaller lineages
Lineage (evolution)
An evolutionary lineage is a sequence of species, that form a line of descent, each new species the direct result of speciation from an immediate ancestral species. Lineages are subsets of the evolutionary tree of life. Lineages are often determined by the techniques of molecular systematics.-...
.
Variety
The Mustelidae in general are phylogeneticallyPhylogenetics
In biology, phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary relatedness among groups of organisms , which is discovered through molecular sequencing data and morphological data matrices...
relatively primitive and so were difficult to classify until genetic evidence started to become available. The increasing availability of such evidence may well result in some members of the family being moved to their own separate families, as has already happened with the skunk
Skunk
Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul odor. General appearance varies from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora...
s, previously considered to be members of the mustelid family.
Mustelids vary greatly in size and behavior. The least weasel
Least Weasel
The least weasel is the smallest member of the Mustelidae , native to Eurasia, North America and North Africa, though it has been introduced elsewhere. It is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN, due to its wide distribution and presumably large population...
is not much larger than a mouse
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
. At the other end of the scale, giant otter
Giant Otter
The giant otter is a South American carnivorous mammal. It is the longest member of the Mustelidae, or weasel family, a globally successful group of predators. Unusually for a mustelid, the giant otter is a social species, with family groups typically supporting three to eight members...
can measure up to 2.4 metres (7.9 ft) in total length and sea otter
Sea Otter
The sea otter is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals...
s can exceed 45 kilograms (99.2 lb). The wolverine
Wolverine
The wolverine, pronounced , Gulo gulo , also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae . It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids...
can crush bones as thick as the femur of a moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
to get at the marrow
Bone marrow
Bone marrow is the flexible tissue found in the interior of bones. In humans, bone marrow in large bones produces new blood cells. On average, bone marrow constitutes 4% of the total body mass of humans; in adults weighing 65 kg , bone marrow accounts for approximately 2.6 kg...
, and has been seen attempting to drive bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
s away from its kill. The sea otter uses rocks to break open shellfish to eat. The marten
Marten
The martens constitute the genus Martes within the subfamily Mustelinae, in family Mustelidae.-Description:Martens are slender, agile animals, adapted to living in taigas, and are found in coniferous and northern deciduous forests across the northern hemisphere. They have bushy tails, and large...
is largely arboreal, while the badger
Badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...
digs extensive networks of tunnels, called sett
Sett
A badger sett or set is a badger's den, usually consisting of a network of tunnels. The largest setts are spacious enough to accommodate 15 or more animals, with up to of tunnels and as many as 40 openings. It takes many years for the animals to dig these large setts...
s. Some mustelids have been domesticated. The ferret
Ferret
The ferret is a domesticated mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. Ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females. They typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur...
and the tayra
Tayra
The tayra , also known as the Tolomuco or Perico ligero in Central America, and San Hol or viejo de monte in the Yucatan Peninsula is an omnivorous animal from the weasel family Mustelidae. It is the only species in the genus Eira...
are kept as pets (although the tayra requires a Dangerous Wild Animals
Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976
The Dangerous Wild Animals Act of 1976 is a law of the United Kingdom that was originally enacted to deal with the increasing fashion in the late 1960s and early 1970s of people keeping interesting pets which were often from the more dangerous species, as well as hybrids between wild and domestic...
licence in the UK), or as working animals for hunting or vermin control. Others have been important in the fur trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
. The mink
Mink
There are two living species referred to as "mink": the European Mink and the American Mink. The extinct Sea Mink is related to the American Mink, but was much larger. All three species are dark-colored, semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae, which also includes the weasels and...
is often raised for its fur
Fur farming
Fur farming is the practice of breeding or raising certain types of animals for their fur.Fur used from wild caught animals is not farmed, and is instead known as 'free range fur' because the animals have lived their lives free and natural in the wild....
.
As well as one of the most species-rich families in the order Carnivora
Carnivora
The diverse order Carnivora |Latin]] carō "flesh", + vorāre "to devour") includes over 260 species of placental mammals. Its members are formally referred to as carnivorans, while the word "carnivore" can refer to any meat-eating animal...
, mustelidae is one of the oldest. Mustelid-like forms first appeared about 40 million years ago, roughly coinciding with the appearance of rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
s. The direct ancestors of the modern mustelids first appeared about 15 million years ago.
Characteristics
Within a large range of variation, the mustelids exhibit some common characteristics. They are typically small animals with short legs, short round ears, and thick fur. Most mustelids are solitary, nocturnal animals, and are active year-round.Mustelids, with the exception of the sea otter
Sea Otter
The sea otter is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals...
, have anal scent glands that produce a strong-smelling secretion the animals use for sexual signaling and for marking territory.
Most mustelid reproduction involves embryonic diapause
Embryonic diapause
Delayed Implantation or Embryonic Diapause is a reproductive strategy used by approximately 100 different mammals in seven or eight different orders. In embryonic diapause, the embryo does not immediately implant in the uterus, but is maintained in a state of dormancy. Little to no development...
. The embryo
Embryo
An embryo is a multicellular diploid eukaryote in its earliest stage of development, from the time of first cell division until birth, hatching, or germination...
does not immediately implant in the uterus
Uterus
The uterus or womb is a major female hormone-responsive reproductive sex organ of most mammals including humans. One end, the cervix, opens into the vagina, while the other is connected to one or both fallopian tubes, depending on the species...
, but remains dormant for a period of time. No development takes place as long as the embryo remains unattached to the uterine
Uterus
The uterus or womb is a major female hormone-responsive reproductive sex organ of most mammals including humans. One end, the cervix, opens into the vagina, while the other is connected to one or both fallopian tubes, depending on the species...
lining. As a result, the normal gestation period is extended, sometimes up to a year. This allows the young to be born under more favorable environmental conditions. Reproduction has a large energy cost and 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 weaned.
Mustelids are predominantly carnivorous, although some will sometimes eat vegetable matter. While not all mustelids share an identical dentition
Dentition
Dentition pertains to the development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth. In particular, the characteristic arrangement, kind, and number of teeth in a given species at a given age...
, they all possess teeth adapted for eating flesh, including the presence of shearing carnassial
Carnassial
Carnassials are large teeth found in many carnivorous mammals, used for shearing flesh and bone in a scissor- or shear-like way. In the Carnivora, the carnassials are the modified last upper premolar and the first molar, but in the prehistoric creodonts, the carnassials were further back in the...
s. Although there is variation between species, the most common dental formula is:
Ecology
Several members of the family are aquatic to varying degrees, ranging from the semi-aquatic mink, the river otters, and the highly aquatic sea otterSea Otter
The sea otter is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals...
. The sea otter is one of the few non-primate mammals known to use a tool while foraging. It uses "anvil" stones to crack open the shellfish that form a significant part of its diet. It is a "keystone species
Keystone species
A keystone species is a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance. Such species play a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community, affecting many other organisms in an ecosystem and helping to determine the types and...
", keeping its prey populations in balance so some do not outcompete the others and they do not destroy the kelp
Kelp
Kelps are large seaweeds belonging to the brown algae in the order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genera....
in which they live.
The black-footed ferret
Black-footed Ferret
The Black-footed Ferret , also known as the American polecat or Prairie Dog Hunter, is a species of Mustelid native to central North America. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN, because of its very small and restricted populations...
is entirely dependent on another keystone species, the prairie dog
Prairie dog
Prairie dogs are burrowing rodents native to the grasslands of North America. There are five different species of prairie dogs: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison's, Utah and Mexican prairie dogs. They are a type of ground squirrel, found in the United States, Canada and Mexico...
. A family of four ferrets will eat 250 prairie dogs in a year. The ferrets require a prairie dog colony of 500 acres (2 km²) to maintain a stable population to support their predation.
The Mongoose
Mongoose
Mongoose are a family of 33 living species of small carnivorans from southern Eurasia and mainland Africa. Four additional species from Madagascar in the subfamily Galidiinae, which were previously classified in this family, are also referred to as "mongooses" or "mongoose-like"...
and the meerkat
Meerkat
The meerkat or suricate, Suricata suricatta, is a small mammal belonging to the mongoose family. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern Angola, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan"...
bear a striking resemblance to many mustelids but belong to a distinctly different suborder
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
- the Feliformia
Feliformia
The Feliformia are a suborder within the order Carnivora and includes cats , hyenas, mongooses, civets and related taxa. The other suborder of Carnivora is Caniformia...
(all those carnivores sharing more recent origins with the Felidae
Felidae
Felidae is the biological family of the cats; a member of this family is called a felid. Felids are the strictest carnivores of the thirteen terrestrial families in the order Carnivora, although the three families of marine mammals comprising the superfamily pinnipedia are as carnivorous as the...
) and not the Caniformia
Caniformia
Caniformia, or Canoidea , is a suborder within the order Carnivora. They typically possess a long snout and non-retractile claws . The Pinnipedia evolved from caniform ancestors and are accordingly assigned to this group...
(those sharing more recent origins with the Canidae
Canidae
Canidae is the biological family of carnivorous and omnivorous mammals that includes wolves, foxes, jackals, coyotes, and domestic dogs. A member of this family is called a canid . The Canidae family is divided into two tribes: Canini and Vulpini...
). Because the mongoose and the mustelids occupy similar ecological niche
Ecological niche
In ecology, a niche is a term describing the relational position of a species or population in its ecosystem to each other; e.g. a dolphin could potentially be in another ecological niche from one that travels in a different pod if the members of these pods utilize significantly different food...
s, convergent evolution
Convergent evolution
Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages.The wing is a classic example of convergent evolution in action. Although their last common ancestor did not have wings, both birds and bats do, and are capable of powered flight. The wings are...
has led to some similarity in form and behavior.
Human uses
Several mustelids, including the minkMink
There are two living species referred to as "mink": the European Mink and the American Mink. The extinct Sea Mink is related to the American Mink, but was much larger. All three species are dark-colored, semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae, which also includes the weasels and...
, the sable
Sable
The sable is a species of marten which inhabits forest environments, primarily in Russia from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, in northern Mongolia and China and on Hokkaidō in Japan. Its range in the wild originally extended through European Russia to Poland and Scandinavia...
(a type of marten) and the stoat
Stoat
The stoat , also known as the ermine or short-tailed weasel, is a species of Mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip...
(ermine
Ermine
Ermine has several uses:* A common name for the stoat * The white fur and black tail end of this animal, which is historically worn by and associated with royalty and high officials...
), boast exquisite and valuable furs and have been accordingly hunted since prehistoric times. Since the early middle-ages the trade in furs
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
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
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
and French and English expansion in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. In recent centuries fur farming
Fur farming
Fur farming is the practice of breeding or raising certain types of animals for their fur.Fur used from wild caught animals is not farmed, and is instead known as 'free range fur' because the animals have lived their lives free and natural in the wild....
, notably of mink, has also become widespread and provides the majority of the fur brought to market.
One species, the Sea Mink
Sea Mink
The Sea Mink, Neovison macrodon, is an extinct North American member of the family Mustelidae. It is the only mustelid, and one of only two terrestrial mammal species in the order Carnivora, to become extinct in historic times . The body of the sea mink was significantly longer than that of the...
(Neovison macrodon) of New England and Canada, was driven to extinction
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally 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 recover may have been lost before this point...
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
Sea Otter
The sea otter is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals...
, 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 Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n expansion into Kamchatka, the Aleutian islands and Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, as well as a cause for conflict with Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and foreign hunters in the Kuril Islands
Kuril Islands
The Kuril Islands , in Russia's Sakhalin Oblast region, form a volcanic archipelago that stretches approximately northeast from Hokkaidō, Japan, to Kamchatka, Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the North Pacific Ocean. There are 56 islands and many more minor rocks. It consists of Greater...
. 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 spill
Oil spill
An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is mostly used to describe marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters...
s and the indirect effects of overfishing; the black-footed ferret
Black-footed Ferret
The Black-footed Ferret , also known as the American polecat or Prairie Dog Hunter, is a species of Mustelid native to central North America. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN, because of its very small and restricted populations...
, a relative of the European polecat
European polecat
The European polecat , also known as the black or forest polecat , is a species of Mustelid native to western Eurasia and North Africa, which is classed by the IUCN as Least Concern due to its wide range and large numbers. It is of a generally dark brown colour, with a pale underbelly and a dark...
, suffers from the loss of American prairie
Prairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
; and wolverine
Wolverine
The wolverine, pronounced , Gulo gulo , also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae . It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids...
populations are slowly declining because of habitat destruction and persecution. The rare European mink Mustela lutreola is one the most endangered mustelid species.
One mustelid, the domestic ferret
Ferret
The ferret is a domesticated mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. Ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females. They typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur...
(Mustela putorius furo), has been domesticated since ancient times, originally for hunting rabbits and pest control.
Systematics
The number of subfamilies proposed for Mustelidae ranges from two to eight. Here is the eightfold proposal, based on Koepfli et al. (2008), Figure 1:One reference work suggests that Mustelidae should be divided into just two extant subfamilies, denoted Lutrinae and Mustelinae.
Koepfli et al. (2008) counters that Mustelinae is not a valid taxon, proposing instead that the Mustelidae are divided into four major clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
s and three, much smaller, lineage
Lineage (evolution)
An evolutionary lineage is a sequence of species, that form a line of descent, each new species the direct result of speciation from an immediate ancestral species. Lineages are subsets of the evolutionary tree of life. Lineages are often determined by the techniques of molecular systematics.-...
s. The early mustelids appear to have undergone two rapid bursts of diversification in Eurasia, with the resulting species only spreading to other continents later.
Examination of the mitochondrial DNA suggests that the Taxidiinae diverged first, followed by Melinae. Lutrinae and Mustelinae are sister clades. The position of the Helictidinae is unclear because the mitochondrial evidence suggests they are related to Lutrinae-Mustelinae clade but the intron data suggests a relationship to Martinae.
Extant species
According to the theory mentioned above proposing two subfamilies, 57 species are classified as follows.FAMILY MUSTELIDAE (57 species in 22 genera)
- Subfamily Lutrinae (OtterOtterThe Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
s)- Genus AonyxAonyxAonyx is a genus of otters, containing two species, the African Clawless Otter and the Oriental Small-clawed Otter. The word 'Aonyx' means 'clawless', derived from the prefix 'a-' and .-Species and subspecies:...
- African Clawless OtterAfrican Clawless OtterThe African clawless otter , also known as the cape clawless otter or groot otter, is the second largest freshwater species of otter. African clawless otters are found near permanent bodies of water in savannah and lowland forest areas...
, Aonyx capensis - Oriental Small-clawed OtterOriental Small-clawed OtterThe oriental small-clawed otter , also known as Asian small-clawed otter, is the smallest otter species in the world, weighing less than 5 kg. It lives in mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands of Bangladesh, Burma, India, southern China, Taiwan, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines,...
, Aonyx cinerea
- African Clawless Otter
- Genus EnhydraEnhydraEnhydra is the genus of the sea otter .Enhydra may also refer to:-Computing:* The Enhydra.org community, developers of open source software....
- Sea OtterSea OtterThe sea otter is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals...
, Enhydra lutris
- Sea Otter
- Genus LontraLontraLontra is a genus of otters from the American continent.The genus comprises four species:*North American River Otter *Southern River Otter *Neotropical Otter...
(American River OtterLontraLontra is a genus of otters from the American continent.The genus comprises four species:*North American River Otter *Southern River Otter *Neotropical Otter...
s and Marine OtterMarine OtterThe marine otter, Lontra felina, is a rare and poorly-known South American mammal of the weasel family . The scientific name means "otter cat", and in Spanish the marine otter is also often referred to as : "marine cat"...
s)- Northern River OtterNorthern River OtterThe North American river otter , also known as the northern river otter or the common otter, is a semiaquatic mammal endemic to the North American continent, found in and along its waterways and coasts. An adult river otter can weigh between 5 and 14 kg...
, Lontra canadensis - Southern River OtterSouthern River OtterThe Southern river otter is a species of otter that lives in Chile and Argentina. Although called a "river otter", it inhabits both marine and freshwater environments....
, Lontra provocax - Neotropical River OtterNeotropical River OtterThe Neotropical Otter , Lontra longicaudis, is an otter species found in Central America, South America and the island of Trinidad....
, Lontra longicaudis - Marine OtterMarine OtterThe marine otter, Lontra felina, is a rare and poorly-known South American mammal of the weasel family . The scientific name means "otter cat", and in Spanish the marine otter is also often referred to as : "marine cat"...
, Lontra felina
- Northern River Otter
- Genus LutraLutraLutra is a genus of otters.*Lutra nippon - Japanese otter*Lutra sumatrana - Hairy-nosed otter*Lutra lutra - European otter-Habitat:Lutra are semi-aquatic mammals and therefore need to be well-adapted to both water and land...
- Eurasian Otter, Lutra lutra
- Hairy-nosed OtterHairy-nosed OtterThe Hairy-nosed Otter is one of the rarest otter species on earth. Until 1998, it was thought to have been extinct. However, since then small populations have been discovered.-Measurements:Weight: Head-body length: Tail length:...
, Lutra sumatrana
- Genus Hydrictis
- Spotted-necked Otter, Hydrictis maculicollis
- Genus LutrogaleLutrogaleLutrogale is a genus of otter, with only one extant species - the smooth-coated otter.*† Lutrogale cretensis - Cretan Otter*† Lutrogale palaeoleptonyx*Lutrogale perspicillata - Smooth-coated Otter...
- Smooth-coated OtterSmooth-coated OtterThe Smooth-coated Otter is a species of otter, the only extant representative of the genus Lutrogale. The species is found from southern Pakistan and parts of the India east to Southeast Asia, and there is a disjunct population in Iraq...
, Lutrogale perspicillata
- Smooth-coated Otter
- Genus Pteronura
- Giant OtterGiant OtterThe giant otter is a South American carnivorous mammal. It is the longest member of the Mustelidae, or weasel family, a globally successful group of predators. Unusually for a mustelid, the giant otter is a social species, with family groups typically supporting three to eight members...
, Pteronura brasiliensis
- Giant Otter
- Genus Aonyx
- Subfamily MustelinaeMustelinaeMustelinae is a polyphyletic subfamily of family Mustelidae and includes wolverines, weasels, ferrets, martens, minks, and similar carnivorous mammals of Order Carnivora.- Extant species of Mustelinae :Subfamily Mustelinae*Genus Arctonyx...
- Genus Arctonyx
- Hog BadgerHog BadgerThe hog badger is a terrestrial species of the mustelid family. It has medium-length brown hair, stocky body, white throat, two black stripes on an elongated white face and a pink pig-like snout. The head-and-body length is , the tail measures and the body weight is...
, Arctonyx collaris
- Hog Badger
- Genus EiraTayraThe tayra , also known as the Tolomuco or Perico ligero in Central America, and San Hol or viejo de monte in the Yucatan Peninsula is an omnivorous animal from the weasel family Mustelidae. It is the only species in the genus Eira...
- TayraTayraThe tayra , also known as the Tolomuco or Perico ligero in Central America, and San Hol or viejo de monte in the Yucatan Peninsula is an omnivorous animal from the weasel family Mustelidae. It is the only species in the genus Eira...
, Eira barbara
- Tayra
- Genus GalictisGalictisThe grison, also known as the South American glutton, is a neotropical mustelid of South America. Comprising the genus Galictis, it is divided into two species: the greater grison , which is found widely in South America, through Central America to southern Mexico; and the lesser grison , which is...
(GrisónGalictisThe grison, also known as the South American glutton, is a neotropical mustelid of South America. Comprising the genus Galictis, it is divided into two species: the greater grison , which is found widely in South America, through Central America to southern Mexico; and the lesser grison , which is...
)- Greater GrisonGreater GrisonThe greater grison, Galictis vittata, is an animal belonging to the ferret family Mustelidae from Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Brazil and Bolivia, living in savannas and rainforests, usually seen near rivers and streams....
, Galictis vittata - Lesser GrisonLesser GrisonThe lesser grison , Galictis cuja, is a mammal species of the ferret family Mustelidae from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay....
, Galictis cuja
- Greater Grison
- Genus Gulo
- Wolverine, Gulo gulo
- Genus IctonyxIctonyxIctonyx is a genus in the Mustelidae family . It contains two species:* Saharan Striped Polecat * Striped Polecat...
- Striped PolecatStriped PolecatThe Striped Polecat is a member of the Mustelidae family which somewhat resembles a skunk. It is found in savannahs and open country in sub-saharan Africa excluding the Congo basin and west Africa.Like other polecats, this carnivore is nocturnal...
, Ictonyx striatus - Saharan Striped PolecatSaharan Striped PolecatThe Saharan striped polecat or Saharan striped weasel is a species of mammal in the Mustelidae family. It is found in Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Tunisia....
, Ictonyx libycus
- Striped Polecat
- Genus Lyncodon
- Patagonian WeaselPatagonian WeaselThe Patagonian Weasel 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...
, Lyncodon patagonicus
- Patagonian Weasel
- Genus MartesMartenThe martens constitute the genus Martes within the subfamily Mustelinae, in family Mustelidae.-Description:Martens are slender, agile animals, adapted to living in taigas, and are found in coniferous and northern deciduous forests across the northern hemisphere. They have bushy tails, and large...
(SableSableThe sable is a species of marten which inhabits forest environments, primarily in Russia from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, in northern Mongolia and China and on Hokkaidō in Japan. Its range in the wild originally extended through European Russia to Poland and Scandinavia...
, FishersFisher (animal)The fisher is a medium-size mammal native to North America. It is a member of the mustelid family, commonly referred to as the weasel family. The fisher is closely related to but larger than the American Marten...
and MartenMartenThe martens constitute the genus Martes within the subfamily Mustelinae, in family Mustelidae.-Description:Martens are slender, agile animals, adapted to living in taigas, and are found in coniferous and northern deciduous forests across the northern hemisphere. They have bushy tails, and large...
s)- American MartenAmerican MartenThe American marten is a North American member of the family Mustelidae, sometimes referred to as the pine marten. The name "pine marten" is derived from the common but distinct Eurasian species of Martes...
, Martes americana - Yellow-throated Marten, Martes flavigula
- Beech MartenBeech MartenThe beech marten , also known as the stone 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 listed as Least Concern by the IUCN on account of its wide distribution, its large...
, Martes foina - Nilgiri Marten, Martes gwatkinsii
- Pine MartenPine MartenThe European Pine Marten , known most commonly as the pine marten in Anglophone Europe, and less commonly also known as Pineten, baum marten, or sweet marten, is an animal native to Northern Europe belonging to the mustelid family, which also includes mink, otter, badger, wolverine and weasel. It...
, Martes martes - Japanese Marten, Martes melampus
- FisherFisher (animal)The fisher is a medium-size mammal native to North America. It is a member of the mustelid family, commonly referred to as the weasel family. The fisher is closely related to but larger than the American Marten...
, Martes pennanti - SableSableThe sable is a species of marten which inhabits forest environments, primarily in Russia from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, in northern Mongolia and China and on Hokkaidō in Japan. Its range in the wild originally extended through European Russia to Poland and Scandinavia...
, Martes zibellina
- American Marten
- Genus MelesMeles (genus)Meles is a genus of badgers, containing three living species, the Japanese Badger , Asian Badger , and European Badger ....
- Japanese BadgerJapanese badgerThe Japanese badger is a species of carnivoran of the family Mustelidae, the weasels and their kin. It is endemic to Japan, where it is found on Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, and Shodoshima...
, Meles anakuma - Asian BadgerAsian BadgerThe Asian badger , also known as the sand badger is a species of badger native to China, Kazakhstan, the Korean Peninsula and Russia.-Description:...
, Meles leucurus - European Badger, Meles meles
- Japanese Badger
- Genus Mellivora
- Honey Badger, Mellivora capensis
- Genus MelogaleMelogaleFerret-badgers are the five species of mustelids of the genus Melogale.* Bornean Ferret-badger * Chinese Ferret-badger * Javan Ferret-badger...
(Ferret Badgers)- Bornean Ferret-badger, Melogale everetti
- Chinese Ferret-badger, Melogale moschata
- Javan Ferret-badgerJavan Ferret-badgerThe Javan ferret-badger is a species of mammal in the Mustelidae family. It is endemic to Java and Bali in Indonesia. It sometimes includes one or several of the other members of the genus Melogale as subspecies....
, Melogale orientalis - Burmese Ferret-badgerBurmese Ferret-badgerThe Burmese ferret-badger , also known as the large-toothed ferret-badger, is a species of mammal in the Mustelidae family.- External links:*- References :*...
, Melogale personata
- Genus Mustela (WeaselWeaselWeasels are mammals forming the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. They are small, active predators, long and slender with short legs....
s, FerretFerretThe ferret is a domesticated mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. Ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females. They typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur...
s, European MinkEuropean minkThe European mink , also known as the Russian mink, is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to Europe. It is listed by the IUCN as Endangered due to an ongoing reduction in numbers, having been calculated as being more than 50% over the past three generations...
and StoatStoatThe stoat , also known as the ermine or short-tailed weasel, is a species of Mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip...
s)- Amazon Weasel, Mustela africana
- Mountain WeaselMountain WeaselThe mountain weasel , also known as the pale weasel, Altai weasel or solongoi, is a species of weasel that prefer to live in environments that are usually high in altitude as well as rocky tundra and grassy woodlands covered in green vegetation.They rest in rock crevices, tree trunks, and...
, Mustela altaica - Ermine (Stoat)ErmineErmine has several uses:* A common name for the stoat * The white fur and black tail end of this animal, which is historically worn by and associated with royalty and high officials...
, Mustela erminea - Steppe PolecatSteppe polecatThe steppe polecat , also known as the white or masked polecat, is a species of Mustelid native to Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia...
, Mustela eversmannii - Colombian WeaselColombian WeaselColombian weasel , 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...
, Mustela felipei - Long-tailed WeaselLong-tailed WeaselThe long-tailed weasel , also known as the bridled weasel or big stoat is a species of mustelid distributed from southern Canada throughout all the United States and Mexico, southward through all of Central America and into northern South America.-Evolution:The long-tailed weasel is the product of...
, Mustela frenata - Japanese WeaselJapanese WeaselThe Japanese weasel is a carnivorous mammal belonging to the genus Mustela in the family Mustelidae. It is native to Japan where it occurs on the islands of Honshū, Kyūshū and Shikoku...
, Mustela itatsi - Yellow-bellied WeaselYellow-bellied WeaselThe yellow-bellied weasel is a species of weasel. It lives in the pine forests of Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. The yellow-bellied weasel is rated "Least Concern" by the IUCN Red List. The yellow-bellied weasel is named for its yellow-colored underbelly. The...
, Mustela kathiah - European MinkEuropean minkThe European mink , also known as the Russian mink, is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to Europe. It is listed by the IUCN as Endangered due to an ongoing reduction in numbers, having been calculated as being more than 50% over the past three generations...
, Mustela lutreola - Indonesian Mountain WeaselIndonesian Mountain WeaselThe Indonesian mountain weasel is a species of weasel that lives on the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia at elevations over 1,000 metres . They live in mountainous, tropical, and rainforest areas. Indonesian mountain weasels have a body length of 11-12 inches and a tail length of 5-6 inches...
, Mustela lutreolina - Black-footed FerretBlack-footed FerretThe Black-footed Ferret , also known as the American polecat or Prairie Dog Hunter, is a species of Mustelid native to central North America. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN, because of its very small and restricted populations...
, Mustela nigripes - Least WeaselLeast WeaselThe least weasel is the smallest member of the Mustelidae , native to Eurasia, North America and North Africa, though it has been introduced elsewhere. It is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN, due to its wide distribution and presumably large population...
, Mustela nivalis - Malayan WeaselMalayan WeaselThe Malayan weasel is a species of weasel. It lives in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. It is rated "Least Concern" by the IUCN Red List. Malayan weasels have a body length of 12-14 inches and a tail length of 9.4 to 10.2 inches. The body is reddish-brown to grayish-white. The head is a...
, Mustela nudipes - European PolecatEuropean polecatThe European polecat , also known as the black or forest polecat , is a species of Mustelid native to western Eurasia and North Africa, which is classed by the IUCN as Least Concern due to its wide range and large numbers. It is of a generally dark brown colour, with a pale underbelly and a dark...
, Mustela putorius- Domesticated FerretFerretThe ferret is a domesticated mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. Ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females. They typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur...
, Mustela putorius furo
- Domesticated Ferret
- Siberian WeaselSiberian WeaselThe Siberian weasel , also known as the Kolonok, is a medium-sized species of weasel native to Asia. It is classed as Least Concern for extinction by the IUCN, due to its wide distribution and presumably large numbers....
, Mustela sibirica - Back-striped Weasel, Mustela strigidorsa
- Egyptian WeaselEgyptian WeaselThe Egyptian Weasel is a species of weasel that lives in northern Egypt. It is rated "Least Concern" by the IUCN Red List. The Egyptian weasel has short legs, a small head, and small ears. Its tail is long and thin. The weasel has a broad snout. The upper part of the body is brown and the lower...
, Mustela subpalmata
- Genus NeovisonNeovisonA genus of Mustelids, including the extinct sea mink and the extant American mink....
- American MinkAmerican MinkThe American mink is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe and South America. Because of this, it is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Since the extinction of the sea mink, the American mink is the...
, Neovison vison - Sea MinkSea MinkThe Sea Mink, Neovison macrodon, is an extinct North American member of the family Mustelidae. It is the only mustelid, and one of only two terrestrial mammal species in the order Carnivora, to become extinct in historic times . The body of the sea mink was significantly longer than that of the...
, Neovison macrodon (19th century †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally 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 recover may have been lost before this point...
)
- American Mink
- Genus Poecilogale
- African Striped WeaselAfrican striped weaselThe African striped weasel , the lone member of genus Poecilogale, is a small black and white weasel native to sub-Saharan Africa. It looks very much like a striped polecat, but it is much thinner and has shorter hair. It is a sleek, black color with a white tail and four white stripes running...
, Poecilogale albinucha
- African Striped Weasel
- Genus Taxidea
- American BadgerAmerican BadgerThe American badger is a North American badger, somewhat similar in appearance to the European badger. It is found in the western and central United States, northern Mexico and central Canada, as well as in certain areas of southwestern British Columbia.Their habitat is typified by open...
, Taxidea taxus
- American Badger
- Genus Vormela
- Marbled PolecatMarbled polecatThe marbled polecat is a small mammal belonging to the monotypic genus Vormela within the Mustelinae subfamily. Vormela is from the German word Würmlein, which means "little Worm". The term peregusna comes from pereguznya, which is Ukrainian for polecat...
, Vormela peregusna
- Marbled Polecat
- Genus Arctonyx
Fossil Mustelids
Extinct genera of the Mustelidae family include:- BrachypsalisBrachypsalisBrachypsalis 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. Cope assigned the genus to the family Mustelidae, whilst J. A...
- ChamitataxusChamitataxusChamitataxus 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 taxidiine badgers to have existed on the continent, Chamitataxus is the most...
- Cyrnaonyx
- EkorusEkorusEkorus ekakeran is a large extinct mustelid that inhabited late Miocene Kenya.Standing 60 centimeters tall at the shoulders, its build was not similar to that of modern mustelids. Modern-day weasels have short legs and can only achieve short bursts of speed. The legs of Ekorus are built like those...
- MegalictisMegalictisMegalictis is an extinct genus of large predatory mustelids, which existed in North America during the "cat gap" in the Miocene period.The genus was first described by W. D. Matthew in 1907...
- OligobunisOligobunisOligobunis is an extinct genus of mustelids, which existed during the Miocene period.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 Oligobuninae in 1998. Two species have been identified in the...
- PotamotheriumPotamotheriumPotamotherium an extinct genus from the Miocene period, which has been assigned both to the mustelids and to the pinnipeds....
- SthenictisSthenictisSthenictis is an extinct genus in the weasel family endemic to North America during the Miocene epoch living from ~13.5—9.2 Ma existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:Sthenictis was named by Peterson...