Family of weasels - predatory mammals

The family of Mustelidae unites many phylogenetically related species, however, they differ greatly in their adaptive features, body structure, and lifestyle.

Most of them are small, although there are medium ones. The mass of their body varies from 100 grams to 40 kg, and length from 15 to 150 cm. The body is massive, elongated and very flexible.

Forge family: representatives

The whole family is divided into three subfamilies: martens, skunks, badgers and otters.

Let's start with the first ...

Marten Subfamily

1. Weasel is the smallest animal with a thin elongated body. It is found where the rodents are the most.
2. Ermine. It looks like a caress, but it is more. Another distinctive feature is the black tip of the tail. This fur animal of the family of weasels breeds once a year.
3. Солонгой. Он крупнее горностая.As a rule, representatives of this species inhabit the treeless mountains and plains of Central Asia, the East and China. It mates in winter and spring. The gestation of the female is about 33 days.
4. Columns. Fur animal with a dense body, whose length reaches 39 centimeters. The end of the face is white, and near the eyes a black mask is “put on”. The tail is usually brighter than the back.
5. European and American mink. These animals live near the reservoir. They are great diving, swimming. They mate, usually in the spring.
6. Ferrets. There are three types of them: steppe, black and black-legged. There is another species - the African ferret - is the albinoid form of black. The largest of all - the steppe.
7. The dressing. Fur animal living in the steppes, deserts and semi-deserts.
8. Wood and stone marten. The fur of these animals is very thick and beautiful. In the stone it is light, and in the forest it is dark brown.
9. Sable. Outwardly, it resembles marten, only the tail is shorter. This animal is distributed in the territory of the former USSR.
10. Ilka - this animal is larger than the previously described species. Mass reaches 8 kg.
11. Kharza is a strong beast with an elongated body. His coat is smooth, coarse, shiny.
12. Taira is a resident of the forests of South, Central America and Southern Mexico.
13. Grisons. There are two types of them: small grisons and grisons. They live in wooded and open areas.
14. Zorilla lives in Africa
15. Spotted ferret lives in North Africa
16. Wolverine is a small animal with a massive body, powerful, wide paws. Weight reaches 19 kg.

This is a large animal whose body length reaches 77 cm. The body is flattened, massive, and the legs are thick and short.

The family of weasels is further subdivided into the subfamily of badgers.

Representatives:

1. Common badger. Distributed in the former USSR. The body length reaches 90 cm, and the tail - 24 cm.
2. American badger. The body length reaches 74 cm, and body weight 10 kg.
3. Pork badger common in South Asia. It inhabits plains and mountains. Body weight reaches 14 kg, and length - 70 cm.
4. The ferocious badger bears the general name of three peculiar animals at once. They are united in the genus Helictis. All of them have thick fur. They live in South Asia.

The family of weasels is further subdivided into the subfamily of stinkers.

Representatives:

1. The striped skunk lives from southern Canada to Northern Mexico. The body length is no more than 38 cm, and the tail is 44 cm. The mass does not exceed 2.5 kg.
2. The spotted skunk is common in Central America and the USA. The mass of the animal is not more than 1 kg.
3. Patagonian skunk lives in South America. In length reaches 49 cm.
4. White-nosed skunk. Almost the whole body is covered with black wool, and the tail, back and end of the muzzle are white on top.

After reading our article, you briefly met with an amazing family of weasels.