Mustelids
Longtail Weasel
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Suborder: Caniformia Superfamily: Musteloidea Family: Mustelidae G. Fischer de Waldheim, 1817
Subfamilies
Lutrinae Melinae Mellivorinae Taxideinae Mustelinae

Mustelidae or Mustelids (from Latin mustela, weasel), commonly referred to as the weasel family, is a family of carnivorous mammals. Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands The diverse order Carnivora (kɑrˈnɪvərə or sometimes /ˌkɑrnɪˈvɔərə/ from Latin carō (stem carn-) "flesh" + vorāre Caniformia, or Canoidea (literally " dog-like " are a Suborder within the order Carnivora. Musteloidea is a superfamily of Carnivoran Mammals united by shared characters of the skull and teeth Johann Gotthelf Fischer von Waldheim ( Grigorij Ivanovitsch Fischer von Waldheim in Russian) ( October 13, 1771 &ndash October 18, In Biological classification, family ( Latin Otters are semi- aquatic (or in one case aquatic) fish-eating Mammals The otter subfamily Lutrinae forms part of the family Badger is the Common name for any animal of three subfamilies which belong to the family Mustelidae: the same Mammal family as the Badger is the Common name for any animal of three subfamilies which belong to the family Mustelidae: the same Mammal family as the Mustelinae is a Polyphyletic Subfamily of family Mustelidae and includes Wolverines Weasels Ferrets Weasels are Mammals in the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. The diverse order Carnivora (kɑrˈnɪvərə or sometimes /ˌkɑrnɪˈvɔərə/ from Latin carō (stem carn-) "flesh" + vorāre Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands The Mustelidae is a diverse family and the largest in the order Carnivora, at least partly because it has in the past been a catch-all category for many early or poorly differentiated taxa. A taxon (plural taxa) or taxonomic unit, is a name designating an organism or a group of Organisms In Biological nomenclature according to ^[1]

Variety

The Mustelidae in general are phylogenetically 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 skunks, previously considered to be members of the mustelid family. Skunks (sometimes referred to as polecats) are Mammals best known for their ability to excrete a strong foul-smelling odor.

Mustelids vary greatly in size and behavior. The least weasel is not much larger than a mouse. The Least Weasel ( Mustela nivalis) is the smallest member of the Genus Mustela, and indeed in the entire order The giant otter can weigh up to 76 lb (34 kg). The Giant Otter ( Pteronura brasiliensis) is an amphibious mammalian Carnivore native to South America. 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 bears from kills. The moose (North America or elk (Europe Alces alces, is the largest extant Species in the Deer family. The sea otter uses rocks to break open shellfish to eat. The sea otter ( Enhydra lutris) is a Marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. The marten is largely arboreal, while the badger digs extensive networks of tunnels, called setts. For the Wiltshire village see Marten Wiltshire. For the town in Bulgaria see Marten Bulgaria. Arboreal is a word meaning "related to or resembling trees" Badger is the Common name for any animal of three subfamilies which belong to the family Mustelidae: the same Mammal family as the A sett, or set, is a network of tunnels making up a badger 's homestead Some mustelids have been domesticated. The ferret and the tayra are kept as pets, or as working animals for hunting or vermin control. The ferret is a domestic Mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. The tayra ( Eira barbara) also known as the Tolomuco or Perico ligero in Central America is an omnivorous animal from the weasel family Others have been important in the fur trade. The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal Fur. The mink is often raised for its fur. There are two living species of " mink," the American Mink and the European Mink. Fur farming is the practice of breeding or raising certain types of Animals for their Fur.

As well as one of the most species-rich families in the order Carnivora, mustelidae is one of the oldest. The diverse order Carnivora (kɑrˈnɪvərə or sometimes /ˌkɑrnɪˈvɔərə/ from Latin carō (stem carn-) "flesh" + vorāre Mustelid-like forms first appeared about 40 million years ago, roughly coinciding with the appearance of rodents. Rodentia is an order of Mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously-growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must 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. ^[2]

Mustelids, with the exception of the sea otter,^[3] have anal scent glands that produce a strong-smelling secretion the animals use for sexual signaling and for marking territory. The sea otter ( Enhydra lutris) is a Marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. The anal glands or anal sacs are small paired sacs located on either side of the anus between the external and internal sphincter muscles. The most developed of these scent glands are found in skunks (Mephitinae), which were moved into a new family, Mephitidae, following DNA analyses ^[4]. Skunks (sometimes referred to as polecats) are Mammals best known for their ability to excrete a strong foul-smelling odor. Deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) is a Nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known

Most mustelid reproduction involves embryonic diapause. Embryonic diapause or Delayed implantation is a reproductive strategy used by close to 100 different Mammals in seven different orders. The embryo does not immediately implant in the uterus, but remains dormant for a period of time. An embryo (from Greek:, plural, lit "that which grows" from en- "in" + bryein "to swell be full" is a multicellular The uterus (from the Latin word for womb) is the major Female reproductive organ of most Mammals including Humans One end the 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 carnassials. Dentition is the development of Teeth and their arrangement in the Mouth. Carnassials are large teeth found in many Carnivorous Mammals, used for shearing flesh and bone in a Scissor or Shear -like way Although there is variation between species, the most common dental formula is^[2]:

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 otter. The sea otter ( Enhydra lutris) is a Marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. 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. A keystone species is a Species that has a disproportionate effect on its environment relative to its abundance Kelp are large Seaweeds ( Algae) belonging to the Brown algae and classified in the order Laminariales

The black-footed ferret is entirely dependent on another keystone species, the prairie dog. The Black-footed Ferret ( Mustela nigripes) is a small carnivorous North American Mammal closely related to the Steppe Polecat of Russia The prairie dogs ( Cynomys) are small burrowing Rodents native to the Grasslands of North America 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). A mongoose (plural mongooses) is a member of the family Herpestidae (although also used for some members of Eupleridae) a family of small The meerkat or suricate Suricata suricatta is a small Mammal and a member of the Mongoose family This article is about the taxonomic rank for the sequence of species in a taxonomic list see Taxonomic order In scientific classification used The Feliformia ('cat-like' carnivores also Feloidea are a suborder within the order Carnivora and includes the 'true-cats' (large and small Hyenas, Mongooses Felidae is the biological family of the cats a member of this family is called a felid. Caniformia, or Canoidea (literally " dog-like " are a Suborder within the order Carnivora. The Canidae (ˈkænədiː ′kanə′dē family is a part of the order Carnivora within the Mammals (Class Mammalia Because the mongoose and the mustelids occupy similar ecological niches, convergent evolution has led to some similarity in form and behavior. In Ecology, a niche (pronounced nich nēsh or nish A shorthand definition of niche is how an organism makes a living Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages ^[5]

Relationship with humans

Detail from Leonardo da Vinci's "Lady with the ermine" (actually a ferret). Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci ( April 15 1452 – May 2 1519 was an Italian Polymath, having been a scientist Mathematician, Engineer The ferret is a domestic Mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo.

Several mustelids, including the mink, the sable (a type of marten) and the ermine (stoat), boast exquisite and valuable furs and have been accordingly hunted since prehistoric times. SABLE is an XML Markup language used to annotate texts for Speech synthesis. Fur is a body hair of any non-human Mammal, also known as the Pelage. 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. The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal Fur. Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving In recent centuries fur farming, notably of mink, has also become widespread and provides the majority of the fur brought to market. Fur farming is the practice of breeding or raising certain types of Animals for their Fur.

One species, the sea mink (Neovison macrodon) of New England and Canada, was driven to extinction by fur trappers around the same time that the passenger pigeon was declining in the late 19th century. The Sea Mink, Neovison macrodon, is an extinct North American member of the Mustelidae family In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. The passenger pigeon ( Ectopistes migratorius) or wild pigeon was a species of pigeon that was once the most common Bird in North America 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 Russian expansion into Kamchatka, the Aleutian islands and Alaska, as well as a cause for conflict with Japan and foreign hunters in the Kuril Islands. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Kuril Islands (ˈkʊrɪl or /ˈkjuˈriˈl/ Кури́льские острова́ əstrʌˈva ru-Latn ''Kuril'skie ostrova'' or Kurile Islands in Russia 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, suffers from the loss of American prairie; and wolverine populations are slowly declining because of habitat destruction and persecution. The Black-footed Ferret ( Mustela nigripes) is a small carnivorous North American Mammal closely related to the Steppe Polecat of Russia The European Polecat ( Mustela putorius) also known as a fitch, is a member of the Mustelidae family and is related to the Stoats Otters Prairie, from the French prairie ("meadow" "grassland" "pasture" refers to an area of land of low topographic relief that historically

One mustelid, the domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo), has been domesticated since ancient times, originally for hunting rabbits and pest control. The ferret is a domestic Mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. In recent years its popularity as a household pet has increased. A pet is an Animal kept for companionship and enjoyment or a househeld animal as opposed to Livestock, Laboratory animals Working animals

Family

FAMILY MUSTELIDAE (55 species in 24 genera)

• Subfamily Lutrinae (Otters)
  • Genus Amblonyx
  • Genus Aonyx
  • Genus Enhydra (Sea Otter)
  • Genus Lontra (American River Otters and Marine Otters)
  • Genus Lutra (includes European Otter)
  • Genus Hydrictis
  • Genus Lutrogale
  • Genus Pteronura (Giant Otter)
• Subfamily Melinae (Badgers)
  • Genus Arctonyx (Hog Badger)
  • Genus Meles (Eurasian Badger)
  • Genus Melogale (Ferret Badgers)
• Subfamily Mellivorinae (Ratels or Honey Badgers)
  • Genus Mellivora
• Subfamily Taxideinae (American Badgers)
  • Genus Taxidea (American Badger)
  • Genus Chamitataxus (Extinct)
• Subfamily Mustelinae
  • Genus Eira (Tayra)
  • Genus Ekorus (Extinct)
  • Genus Galictis (Grisón)
  • Genus Gulo (Wolverine)
  • Genus Ictonyx (Striped Polecat)
  • Genus Lyncodon (Patagonian Weasel)
  • Genus Martes (Sable and Martens)
  • Genus Mustela - (Weasels, Ferrets, European Mink and Stoats)
  • Genus Neovison - (American Mink and Sea Mink)
  • Genus Poecilogale (African Striped Weasel)
  • Genus Vormela (Marbled Polecat)

References