The weasel family: the most species-rich family in Carnivora, typically small to medium-sized with an elongated body and short legs well suited to pursuing prey into burrows. Mustelidae includes weasels, otters, badgers and wolverines.
Facts
Taxonomic Rank Scientific Name Member Count Band Era First Appeared Disputed
Member Species/Taxa CountApproximate described-species (or, for a genus, described-taxon) count; continually revised as species are newly described, reclassified or synonymized. Classification
Living or Extinct Connections
Child Taxon Of
Parent Taxon Of
Source Wikidata: African Clawless Otter
Source Wikidata: Asian Small-clawed Otter
Source Congo clawless otter (Wikipedia)
Source Eira barbara article (Wikipedia)
Source European mink (Wikidata)
Source European polecat (Wikidata)
Source Giant otter (Wikidata)
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Hydrictis maculicollis (Animal Diversity Web)
Lontra, Taxa Source Wikipedia: Marine Otter
Lutra, Taxa Source Eurasian Otter (Wikipedia)
Meles, Taxa Source European Badger (Wikipedia)
Source Honey badger (Wikipedia)
Source Saharan striped polecat
Source African striped weasel
Source Smooth-coated otter (Wikidata)
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Animal Diversity Web: MustelidaeGeographic Range: "Members of the family Mustelidae inhabit all con"Quote, Geographic Range: "Members of the family Mustelidae inhabit all con"
Members of the family Mustelidae inhabit all continents except Antarctica and Australia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Animal Diversity Web: MustelidaeGeographic Range: "Members of the family Mustelidae inhabit all con"Quote, Geographic Range: "Members of the family Mustelidae inhabit all con"
Members of the family Mustelidae inhabit all continents except Antarctica and Australia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Animal Diversity Web: MustelidaeGeographic Range: "Members of the family Mustelidae inhabit all con"Quote, Geographic Range: "Members of the family Mustelidae inhabit all con"
Members of the family Mustelidae inhabit all continents except Antarctica and Australia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Animal Diversity Web: MustelidaeGeographic Range: "Members of the family Mustelidae inhabit all con"Quote, Geographic Range: "Members of the family Mustelidae inhabit all con"
Members of the family Mustelidae inhabit all continents except Antarctica and Australia.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Animal Diversity Web: MustelidaeGeographic Range: "Members of the family Mustelidae inhabit all con"Quote, Geographic Range: "Members of the family Mustelidae inhabit all con"
Members of the family Mustelidae inhabit all continents except Antarctica and Australia.
Sources
1. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ25437, descriptionView the Source 2. Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life- Taxonomic Rank: Family
- Scientific Name: Mustelidae
- Member Species/Taxa Count: 66
View the Source 3. Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank): Taxon metrics for Mustelidae
Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank)Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCountQuote, Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount
"speciesExtantCount": 64
4. Paleobiology Database: Taxon record for Mustelidae
Paleobiology DatabaseTaxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)Quote, Taxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)
"taxon_name": "Mustelidae" ... "firstapp_max_ma": 41.03 ... "early_interval": "Bartonian"
Wikidata: Mustelidae
Giant otter (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source Smooth-coated otter (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Smooth-coated Otter, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source European mink (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: European mink, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source European polecat (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: European polecat, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source Wikidata: Asian Small-clawed Otter
Parent Taxon Of: Asian Small-clawed Otter, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source Wikidata: African Clawless Otter
Parent Taxon Of: African Clawless Otter, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source Congo clawless otter (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Congo clawless otter, LeadQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Congo clawless otter, Lead
The Congo clawless otter (Lutra congica), also known as the Cameroon clawless otter, is a species in the family Mustelidae.
Marten
Parent Taxon Of: Martes, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Martes, Lead, family
A marten is a weasel-like mammal in the genus Martes within the subfamily Guloninae, in the family Mustelidae.
Ictonyx (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Ictonyx, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Ictonyx, Lead, family
Ictonyx is a genus in the family Mustelidae (weasels).
Mustela (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Mustela, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Mustela, Lead, family
Weasels are mammals of the genus Mustela of the family Mustelidae.
American badger
Parent Taxon Of: Taxidea, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Taxidea, Lead, family
The American badger is a member of the Mustelidae, a diverse family of carnivorous mammals that also includes weasels, otters, ferrets, and the wolverine.
Melogale
Parent Taxon Of: Melogale, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Melogale, Lead, family
Ferret-badgers are the six species of the genus Melogale, which is the only genus of the monotypic mustelid subfamily Helictidinae.
Pekania (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Pekania, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Pekania, Lead, family
Pekania is a genus of mustelid that contains a single living species, the fisher (Pekania pennanti).
Galictis
Parent Taxon Of: Galictis, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Galictis, Lead, family
A grison (, ) is any mustelid in the genus Galictis.
Saharan striped polecat
Parent Taxon Of: Poecilictis, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Poecilictis, Lead, family
It belongs in the family Mustelidae, and debate exists among experts over what genus it belongs to; though formerly placed in Ictonyx along with the striped polecat, it is now placed in the lone member of a separate genus called Poecilictis.
African striped weasel
Parent Taxon Of: Poecilogale, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Poecilogale, Lead, family
It is in the family Mustelidae and is the lone member of the genus Poecilogale.
Marbled polecat
Parent Taxon Of: Vormela, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Vormela, Lead, family
The marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna) is a small mustelid belonging to the subfamily Ictonychinae.
Neogale
Parent Taxon Of: Neogale, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Neogale, Lead, family
Neogale (colloquially referred to as the New World weasels) is a genus of carnivorous, highly active small mammals belonging to the Mustelidae family (which also contains badgers, weasels, martens, otters, and wolverines, among others).
Eira barbara article (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Eira, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Eira, Lead, family
The tayra (Eira barbara) is an omnivorous animal from the mustelid family, native to the Americas.
Patagonian weasel
Parent Taxon Of: Lyncodon, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Lyncodon, Lead, family
The Patagonian weasel (Lyncodon patagonicus) is a small mustelid that is the only member of the genus Lyncodon.
Greater hog badger (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Arctonyx, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Arctonyx, Lead, family
The greater hog badger (Arctonyx collaris) is a very large terrestrial mustelid native to Southeast Asia.
European Badger (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationParent Taxon Of: Meles, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Meles, Lead, family
The European badger (Meles meles), also known as the Eurasian badger, is a species of badger in the family Mustelidae native to Europe and West Asia and parts of Central Asia.
Wikipedia: Marine Otter
WikipediaParent Taxon Of: Lontra, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Lontra, Lead, family
The marine otter (Lontra felina) is a rare and relatively unknown South American mammal of the weasel family (Mustelidae).
Eurasian Otter (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationParent Taxon Of: Lutra, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Lutra, Lead, family
It is the most widely distributed member of the otter subfamily (Lutrinae) of the weasel family (Mustelidae) and is found in the waterways and on the coasts of Europe, much of Asia, and parts of North Africa.
Honey badger (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Mellivora, Lead, familyQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Mellivora, Lead, family
It is the sole living representative of the Mellivorinae subfamily of the Mustelidae.
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Hydrictis maculicollis (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyParent Taxon Of: Hydrictis, Scientific Classification table, Family and Genus rowsQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Hydrictis, Scientific Classification table, Family and Genus rows
Family Mustelidae badgers, otters, weasels, and relatives Genus Hydrictis spotted-necked otter
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