Neogale, colloquially called the New World weasels, is a genus of small, highly active carnivorous mammals in the family Mustelidae, comprising four living species, the Amazon weasel, Colombian weasel, long-tailed weasel, and American mink, plus one extinct species, the sea mink. These animals were reclassified into Neogale in 2021, having previously been grouped within the genera Mustela and Neovison, after molecular evidence showed they form a distinct evolutionary lineage that diverged from Mustela during the Late Miocene, roughly 11.8 to 13.4 million years ago. Neogale species range across the Americas from Alaska south to Argentina and Bolivia, occupying environments as varied as the boreal forests of Alaska and Canada, the arid deserts of the American southwest, the tropical Amazon basin, and the Andean foothills into northern Patagonia.
Facts
Taxonomic Rank Member Count Band Era First Appeared Classification
Living or Extinct Connections
Child Taxon Of
Parent Taxon Of
Source Amazon weasel (Wikipedia)
Source Colombian weasel (Wikipedia)
Source Long-tailed weasel (Wikipedia)
Source Sea mink (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ107548263, descriptionView the Source 2. Neogale
Introduction
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).
- Taxonomic rank (structure-wave classification, ruling 761/926)
Child Taxon Of: Mustelidae, 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).
View the Source3. Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank): Taxon metrics for Neogale
Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank)Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCountQuote, Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount
"speciesExtantCount": 4
4. Paleobiology Database: Taxon record for Neogale
Paleobiology DatabaseTaxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)Quote, Taxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)
"taxon_name": "Neogale" ... "firstapp_max_ma": 2.58 ... "early_interval": "Gelasian"
Wikidata: Neogale
Wikidata Q107548263, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source Long-tailed weasel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Long-tailed weasel, LeadQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Long-tailed weasel, Lead
The long-tailed weasel (Neogale frenata), also known as the bridled weasel, masked ermine, or big stoat, is a species of weasel found in North, Central, and South America.
Amazon weasel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Amazon weasel, LeadQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Amazon weasel, Lead
The Amazon weasel (Neogale africana), also known as the tropical weasel, is a species of New World weasel native to South America.
Colombian weasel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Colombian weasel, LeadQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Colombian weasel, Lead
The Colombian weasel (Neogale felipei), also known as Don Felipe's weasel, is a very rare species of New World weasel only known with certainty from parts of Colombia and Ecuador.
Sea mink (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Sea mink, LeadQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Sea mink, Lead
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.
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