Mustelidae

(Mustelidae)

Class: Mammalia

Order: Carnivora

Family: Mustelidae

Thumbnail description
Small-to-medium carnivores characterized by long tubular shape or stocky build, short limbs, large necks, small heads, and habits that are either terrestrial or semi-aquatic

Size
4–60 in (0.1–1.5 m), 0.5–100 lb (0.25–45 kg)

Number of genera, species
25 genera; 65 species

Habitat
Forests, prairie, steppes, tundra, waterways, and seashore

Conservation status
Extinct in the Wild: 1 species; Endangered: 7 species; Vulnerable: 8 species; Lower Risk/Near Threatened: 1 species; Data Deficient: 4 species

Distribution
North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and introduced in New Zealand

Evolution and systematics

The first Mustelidae appeared in the late Eocene to Oligocene from Europe and North America. Migrations to southern continents occurred first in Africa during the early Miocene, and then in South America in the Quarternary. Mustelids were among the first carnivore families to enter South America from the Panamanian land bridge, and they diversified in South America to 14 extant species.

Considered the most successful of the small carnivores, mustelids never evolved large body forms (less than 200 lbs or 100 kg), or cursorial open-country predators. Instead, mustelids are small to medium-sized, and dominate densely vegetated habitats where they occupy terrestrial, arboreal, and aquatic environments. The extant family Mustelidae includes five subfamilies: the Mustelinae (weasels, mink, polecats, and martens); the Mellivorinae (honey badgers), the Melinae (badgers), the Mephitinae (skunks), and the Lutrinae (otters). Skunks (genera Conepatus, Mephitis, and Spilogale) and stink badgers (genus Mydaus) have been suggested as belonging to their own family, the Mephitidae, based on genetic analyses. However, this classification proposed in 1997 has not yet been uniformly accepted.

Physical characteristics

The body may be either long and slender with a long tail (weasels, mink, martens, andotters), or compact with a short tail (badgers and wolverines); there are five fingers and toes with non-retractile claws. Otters have fully webbed hind feet, and most also have webbed front feet (Pteronura, Lutra, and

Lontra) but one genus has long, dexterous, and unwebbed forefeet (Aonyx). Size varies from 4–10 in (11–26 cm) in the least weasel (Mustela nivalis), which is both the smallest mustelid and the smallest carnivore, to 40–60 in (100–150 cm) in the giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), the largest mustelid. Depending on species, males are 10–100% larger than females. All species have strong canine teeth for capturing and killing prey.

Coloration ranges from completely white (winter coloration of least weasels) to silver (badgers Taxidea taxus and Meles meles), pale to dark brown (mink, fisher Martes pennanti, and otters), and black and white (skunks). Pelage is either uniform (mink and otters), spotted or marbled (genera Spilogale and Vormela), or striped (Gulo and Mephitis). Many species have facial stripes (skunks and badgers), or marking on the throat (American marten [Martes americana], spotted-necked otter [Lutra maculicollis], giant otter, and American mink [Mustela vison]). All species possess anal glands, and skunks (genera Conepatus, Mephitis, and Spilogale), zorillas (genus Ictonyx), and stink badgers (genus Mydaus) can spray the liquid secretions to repel aggressors.

Distribution

Mustelids occupy all continents except Antarctica. Mustelids were originally absent from Australia, but stoats (ermine or Mustela erminea), least weasels, and ferrets (Mustela putorius) were introduced to New Zealand to control rabbits.

Habitat

The Mustelidae are a diverse family that occupies a wide range of habitats from aquatic systems (otters and mink) to prairies (black-footed ferret, Mustela nigripes, and North American badger, Taxidea taxus), steppes (steppe polecat, Mustela eversmanni), treeless tundra (wolverine, Gulo gulo), and forests (most mustelids). Some species, such as striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), tolerate humans well and abound in urban areas.

Behavior

Mustelids are mostly nocturnal, terrestrial (most species), or semi-aquatic (mink and otter), and they shelter in burrows, hollow trees, dense vegetation, rock crevices, or abandoned buildings during the day. Many species such as weasels, mink, and ferrets shelter in burrows of their prey. Most mustelids are agile tree climbers and good swimmers. One species, the sea otter (Enhydra lutris), is almost entirely aquatic.

Most species are solitary, but group living occurs in otters and European badgers (Meles meles). Some species defend exclusive territories (e.g., groups of European badgers), while others (such as striped skunk) use non-exclusive ranges that overlap with both males and females of the same species. Many species, such as otters, use their anal glands for scent marking, and skunks and stink badgers use their anal glands for defense.

Vocalizations are most developed in the Lutrinae (otters), which display a wide range of calls from purring sounds, threatening growls, and alarm calls. Skunks, zorillas (genus Ictonyx), and marbled polecats (Vormela peregusna) communicate their noxiousness to potential predator species through warning displays, whereas other mustelids may growl (badgers and wolverine) or release musk from their anal glands when threatened (weasels and mink). Most mustelids escape predation by escaping inside burrows (badgers and skunks), climbing trees (weasels, martens and wolverine), or seeking refuge in water (mink and otter). Play behavior occurs mostly in juveniles, and in adults is best known in otters sliding down muddy or snowy banks, or playing with inanimate objects in the water.

Feeding ecology and diet

Mustelids are either true carnivores (weasels, martens, and otters) or omnivores that also consume fruits and plant material (skunks, badgers, and tayra). Most species are proficient predators, killing rodent prey with a bite at the back of the neck. Small mammals such as mice and voles constitute the staple prey for most species; fish, crustaceans, and amphibians dominate the diet of otters. Most species consume reptiles opportunistically. Some species such as wolverines and fishers are opportunistic scavengers.

The long tubular shape of many mustelids allows them access to burrows of their prey. Weasels often hunt in burrows of small rodents, and American mink regularly access burrows of the muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus). Similarly, ferrets access the burrows of rabbits and hares.

Some mustelids display feeding specialization or associations with other species. The black-footed ferret depends on prairie dogs (genus Cynomys) for both food and shelter. American mink also relies heavily on muskrats as prey and use muskrat burrows and lodges as shelter. In northern Canada and the United States, the northern river otter (Lontra canadensis) uses burrows and lodges of beavers (Castor canadensis) for daily shelter and as maternity dens. Fishers probably evolved as expert predators of North American porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum). Others such as wolverines often associate with larger predators such as wolves (Canis lupus) to scavenge remains of their kills.

Reproductive biology

Only one species of mustelid, the giant otter, is monogamous; all other Mustelidae are promiscuous, meaning that individuals of both sexes will mate with numerous members of the other sex. Pair-bonds are typically short, and in some species such as striped skunk, American mink, and wolverine, ovulation is induced by copulation. Females have one litter per year, and males do not provide care for the young.

Implantation of the blastocyst into the uterine wall is delayed in many species such as wolverine, American marten, fisher, and sea otter. However, not all mustelids have delayed implantation, and many species closely related do not share this trait. For example, ermines (Mustela erminea) have delayed implantation whereas least weasels do not. Similarly, western spotted skunks (Spilogale gracilis) have delayed implantation whereas eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius) do not. Delayed implantation likely offers species living in seasonal environments an advantage by allowing decoupling of mating and parturition and allowing parturition to occur at the peak availability of resources.

Conservation status

Many species are threatened because of habitat loss (e.g., black-footed ferret and many otters), or competition from other, non-native mustelids (European mink, Mustela lutreola). In contrast, several mustelids are extremely abundant and considered pests: stoats in New Zealand for depredation of native birds, skunks in North American cities for risk of rabies, and American mink in Europe for competition with the declining European mink. In 2003, 21 species of extant mustelids were listed by the IUCN. Among those, the black-footed ferret is listed as Extinct in the Wild, and seven additional species were listed as Endangered: the sea otter, the marine otter (Lontra felina), the southern river otter (Lontra provocax), the Colombian weasel (Mustela felipei), the European mink, the Indonesian mountain weasel (Mustela lutreolina), and the giant otter.

Black-footed ferrets, the most endangered of all mustelids, once occurred throughout the Great Plains in 12 states and two Canadian provinces, and possibly portions of northern Mexico. By the 1960s, the only known population of black-footed ferrets was a small colony in southwestern South Dakota, which disappeared in 1974 for unknown reasons. In 1981, a black-footed ferret was killed by a ranch dog in northwestern Wyoming, and this event led to the discovery of about 130 ferrets near Meeteetse, Wyoming. However, outbreaks of sylvatic plague and canine distemper killed nearly all of the Meeteetse population. Consequently, the remaining 18 ferrets were taken into captivity between 1985 and 1987 in an effort to save the species. Beginning in Wyoming, reintroduction efforts have since expanded to sites in Montana, South Dakota, and Arizona. The Recovery Plan for the black-footed ferret calls for the establishment of 10 or more separate, self-sustaining wild populations. In 2003, black-footed ferret still occupied less than 2% of its original range.

Significance to humans

Mustelids are of great significance to humans as furbearers. In North America, annual harvest of weasels, mink, martens, fishers, otters, and wolverines significantly contributes to the economy. In Russia, the fur trade is especially strong for sables (Martes zibellina).

Few mustelids are consumed for meat. In North America, striped skunks are an important vector of rabies, especially in the midwestern United States and Canada and the southwestern United States. In Europe, the European badger carries bovine tuberculosis, which is a significant concern to European farmers and consequently led to persecution of the badger near farms. Other mustelids also are considered pests on occasion. When near human habitations, skunks damage lawns, consume human refuse, and occasionally spray pets; weasels and ferrets may depredate domestic chickens; and otters may visit commercial fish ponds.

In Asia, species of otters such as Asian small-clawed otters (Amblonyx cinereus) and smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspiciallata) are tamed and used by indigenous people to catch fish. Throughout the world, ferrets are kept as pets. In North America, striped skunks also are kept as pets after their anal glands are surgically removed. Mustelids are popular in zoological gardens, especially otters, because of their playful behavior and underwater agility, and most importantly, willingness to be active during the daytime.

Species accounts

Resources

Dunstone, N. The Mink. London: Poyser Natural History, 1993.

Gittleman, J. L. Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution. Vol. 2. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1996.

King, C. The Natural History of Weasels and Stoats. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1990.

Macdonald, D. W. The New Encyclopedia of Mammals. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.

Neal, E., and C. Cheeseman. Badgers. London: Poyser Natural History, 1996.

Nowak, R. M. Walker's Mammals of the World. 6th ed. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999.

Powell, R. A. The Fisher: Life History, Ecology and Behavior. 2nd ed. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1993.

Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1993.

Carter, S. K., and F. C. W. Rosas. "Biology and Conservation of the Giant Otter Pteronura brasiliensis." Mammal Review 27 (1997): 1–26.

Clark, T. W., E. Anderson, C. Douglas, and M. Strickland. "Martes americana." Mammalian Species 289 (1987): 1–8.

Estes, J. A. "Enhydra lutris." Mammalian Species 133 (1980): 1–8.

Ferguson, S. H., J. A. Virgl, and S. Larivière. "Evolution of Delayed Implantation and Associated Grade Shifts in Life History Traits of North American Carnivores." Écoscience 3 (1996): 7–17.

Hillmand, C. N., and T. W. Clark. "Mustela nigripes." Mammalian Species 126 (1980): 1–3.

Larivière, S. "Aonyx capensis." Mammalian Species 671 (2001): 1–6. ——. "Ictonyx striatus." Mammalian Species 698 (2002): 1–5. ——. "Lontra felina." Mammalian Species 575 (1998): 1–5. ——. "Lontra longicaudis." Mammalian Species 609 (1999): 1–5. ——. "Lontra provocax." Mammalian Species 610 (1999): 1–4. ——. "Lutra maculicollis." Mammalian Species 712 (2002): 1–6. ——. "Mustela vison." Mammalian Species 608 (1999): 1–9. ——. "Poecilogale albinucha." Mammalian Species 681 (2001): 1–4.

Larivière, S., and F. Messier. "Aposematic Behaviour in the Striped Skunk Mephitis mephitis." Ethology 102 (1996): 986–992. ——. "Spatial Organization of a Prairie Striped Skunk Population During the Waterfowl Nesting Season." Journal of Wildlife Management 62 (1998): 199–204.

Long, C. A. "Taxidea taxus." Mammalian Species 26 (1973): 1–4.

McDonald, R. A., and S. Larivière. "Diseases and Pathogens of Mustela spp., With Special Reference to the Biological Control of Introduced Stoat Mustela erminea Populations in New Zealand." Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 31 (2001): 721–744.

Pasitschniak-Arts, M., and S. Larivière. "Gulo gulo." Mammalian Species 499 (1995): 1–10.

Presley, S. J. "Eira barbara." Mammalian Species 636 (2000): 1–6.

Sheffield, S. R., and C. M. King. "Mustela nivalis." Mammalian Species 454 (1994): 1–10.

Sheffield, S. R., and H. H. Thomas. "Mustela frenata." Mammalian Species 570 (1997): 1–9.

Verts, B. J., L. N. Carraway, and A. Kinlaw. "Spilogale gracilis." Mammalian Species 674 (2001): 1–10.

Wade-Smith, J., B. J. Verts. "Mephitis mephitis." Mammalian Species 173 (1982): 1–7.

Youngman, P. M. "Mustela lutreola." Mammalian Species 362 (1990): 1–3.

Other

Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Program. "Ferret Facts." [1 March 2003] .

[Article by: Serge Larivière, PhD]

A family of carnivores, both aquatic and terrestrial, and almost 70 species. The mustelids include weasel, ferret, mink, wolverine, American badger, skunk, otter, sea otter and European stoat (ermine).

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: weasels; polecats; ferrets; minks; fishers; otters; badgers; skunks; wolverines; martens
  Synonym: family Mustelidae

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2007)

Mustelids Fossil range: Early Miocene–Recent PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
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. 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.^[1]

Contents 1 Variety 2 Characteristics 3 Ecology 4 Relationship with humans 5 Family 6 References

Variety

Sthenictis sp. (American Museum of Natural History)

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.

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 otters can exceed 45 kilograms (99 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 bears from kills. 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 setts. Some mustelids have been domesticated. The ferret and the tayra are kept as pets (although the Tayra requires a DWA 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 rodents. 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 most developed of these scent glands are found in skunks (Mephitinae), which were moved into a new family, Mephitidae, following DNA analysis.^[4]

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 carnassials. Although there is variation between species, the most common dental formula is:^[2]

Dentition
3.1.3.1
3.1.3.2

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 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 niches, convergent evolution has led to some similarity in form and behavior.^[5]

Relationship with humans

Detail from Leonardo da Vinci's "Lady with the ermine" (actually a ferret).

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. 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 around the same time that the passenger pigeon was declining in the late 19th century. 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^[6], 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. 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.

One mustelid, the domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo), has been domesticated since ancient times, originally for hunting rabbits and pest control.

Family

Mustelidae has variously included up to five subfamilies (Lutrinae, Melinae, Mellivorinae, Taxideinae, Mustelinae). While some recent research^[7] suggests Mustelidae should include only two extant subfamilies as follows:

FAMILY MUSTELIDAE (59 species in 22 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 Mustelinae
  • Genus Arctonyx (Hog Badger)
  • Genus Eira (Tayra)
  • Genus Galictis (Grisón)
  • Genus Gulo (Wolverine)
  • Genus Ictonyx (Striped Polecat)
  • Genus Lyncodon (Patagonian Weasel)
  • Genus Martes (Sable, Fishers and Martens)
  • Genus Meles (Eurasian Badger)
  • Genus Mellivora (Honey Badger)
  • Genus Melogale (Ferret Badgers)
  • Genus Mustela (Weasels, Ferrets, European Mink and Stoats)
  • Genus Neovison (American Mink and Sea Mink)
  • Genus Poecilogale (African Striped Weasel)
  • Genus Taxidea (American Badger)
  • Genus Vormela (Marbled Polecat)

More recent research, published in 2008, suggests that the Mustelinae subfamily are not a true grouping. Instead, this research suggests that the Mustelidae are divided into four major clades and three, much smaller, lineages. The early mustelids appear to have undergone two rapid bursts of diversification in Eurasia, with the resulting species only spreading to other continents later.^[8] This study of the mitochondrial DNA suggests the following relationships:

Otters (Aonyx, Enhydra, Hydrictis, Lontra, Lutra, Lutrogale and Pteronura) form a single clad. This clade is the sister to one consisting of the mink and true weasels (Mustela and Neovison).

Another clade that includes the weasel-like species with aposematically colored pelage (Galictis, Ictonyx, Poecilogale and Vormela) is the sister to these first two clades.

A further clade of ferrets and badgers (Melogale) is the sister to these three combined clades.

The fifth major clade has two subclades: the first contains the hog-nosed and Eurasian badgers (Arctonyx and Meles) and a second contains the tayra, wolverine and martens (Eira, Gulo and Martes).

The most divergent group is a clade consisting of the American badger (Taxidea) and the honey badger (Mellivora).

Extinct genera of the Mustelidae family include Brachypsalis, Chamitataxus, Cyrnaonyx, Ekorus, Megalictis, Oligobunis and Potamotherium.

References

Wikispecies has information related to: Mustelidae

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mustelidae

1. ^ "A Skunk By Any Other Name…". Dragoo Institute for the Betterment of Skunks and Skunk Reputations. http://www.dragoo.org/Mephitidae.html. Retrieved 2007-02-26. 
2. ^ ^{a b} King, Carolyn (1984). Macdonald, D.. ed. The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. pp. 108–109. ISBN 0-87196-871-1. 
3. ^ Kenyon, Karl W. (1969). The Sea Otter in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife. 
4. ^ Dragoo and Honeycutt (1997). "Systematics of Mustelid-like Carnvores". Journal of Mammalology 78 (2): 426–443. doi:10.2307/1382896. 
5. ^ Online Biology Glossary
6. ^ Brown Mammal & Otter Information
7. ^ "Mammal Species of the World, Third Edition". http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=14001075. Retrieved 2008-07-31. 
8. ^ Koepfli, Klaus-Peter; Deere, K.A.; Slater, G.J.; Begg, C.; Begg, K.; Grassman, L.; Lucherini, M.; Veron, G. et al. (February 2008). "Multigene phylogeny of the Mustelidae: Resolving relationships, tempo and biogeographic history of a mammalian adaptive radiation". BMC Biology 6: 10. doi:10.1186/1741-7007-6-10. PMID 18275614. PMC 2276185. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/6/10. 

• Whitaker, John O. (1980-10-12). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals. Alfred A. Knopf. pp. 745. ISBN 0394507622. 

v • d • e Extant Carnivora species Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Mammalia · Infraclass: Eutheria · Superorder: Laurasiatheria   Suborder Feliformia Nandiniidae Nandinia African Palm Civet (N. binotata) Herpestidae (Mongooses) Atilax Marsh Mongoose (A. paludinosus) Bdeogale Bushy-tailed Mongoose (B. crassicauda} · Jackson's Mongoose (B. jacksoni) · Black-footed Mongoose (B. nigripes) Crossarchus Alexander's Kusimanse (C. alexandri) · Angolan Kusimanse (C. ansorgei) · Common Kusimanse (C. obscurus) · Flat-headed Kusimanse (C. platycephalus) Cynictis Yellow Mongoose (C. penicillata) Dologale Pousargues's Mongoose (D. dybowskii) Galerella Angolan Slender Mongoose (G. flavescens) · Somalian Slender Mongoose (G. ochracea) · Cape Gray Mongoose (G. pulverulenta) · Slender Mongoose (G. sanguinea) Helogale Ethiopian Dwarf Mongoose (H. hirtula) · Common Dwarf Mongoose (H. parvula) Herpestes Short-tailed Mongoose (H. brachyurus) · Indian Gray Mongoose (H. edwardsii) · Indian Brown Mongoose (H. fuscus) · Egyptian Mongoose (H. ichneumon) · Small Asian Mongoose (H. javanicus) · Long-nosed Mongoose (H. naso) · Collared Mongoose (H. semitorquatus) · Ruddy Mongoose (H. smithii) · Crab-eating Mongoose (H. urva) · Stripe-necked Mongoose (H. vitticollis) Ichneumia White-tailed Mongoose (I. albicauda) Liberiictus Liberian Mongoose (L. kuhni) Mungos Gambian Mongoose (M. gambianus) · Banded Mongoose (M. mungo) Paracynictis Selous' Mongoose (P. selousi) Rhynchogale Meller's Mongoose (R. melleri) Suricata Meerkat (S. suricatta) Hyaenidae (Hyenas) Crocuta Spotted Hyena (C. crocuta) Hyaena Brown Hyena (H. brunnea) · Striped Hyena (H. hyaena) Proteles Aardwolf (P. cristatus) Felidae Large family listed below Viverridae Large family listed below Eupleridae Large family listed below   Family Felidae Felinae Acinonyx Cheetah (A. jubatus) Caracal Caracal (C. caracal) Catopuma Bay Cat (C. badia) · Asian Golden Cat (C. temminckii) Felis Chinese Mountain Cat (F. bieti) · Cat (F. catus) · Jungle Cat (F. chaus) · Pallas' Cat (F. manul) · Sand Cat (F. margarita) · Black-footed Cat (F. nigripes) · Wildcat (F. silvestris) Leopardus Pantanal Cat (L. braccatus) · Colocolo (L. colocolo) · Geoffroy's Cat (L. geoffroyi) · Kodkod (L. guigna) · Andean Mountain Cat (L. jacobitus) · Pampas Cat (L. pajeros) · Ocelot (L. pardalis) · Oncilla (L. tigrinus) · Margay (L. wiedii) Leptailurus Serval (L. serval) Lynx Canadian Lynx (L. canadensis) · Eurasian Lynx (L. lynx) · Iberian Lynx (L. pardinus) · Bobcat (L. rufus) Pardofelis Marbled Cat (P. marmorata) Prionailurus Leopard Cat (P. bengalensis) · Iriomote Cat (P. iriomotensis) · Flat-headed Cat (P. planiceps) · Rusty-spotted Cat (P. rubiginosus) · Fishing Cat (P. viverrinus) Profelis African Golden Cat (P. aurata) Puma Cougar (P. concolor) · Jaguarundi (P. yagouaroundi) Pantherinae Neofelis Clouded Leopard (N. nebulosa) · Bornean Clouded Leopard (N. diardi) Panthera Lion (P. leo) · Jaguar (P. onca) · Leopard (P. pardus) · Tiger (P. tigris) Uncia Snow Leopard (U. uncia)   Family Viverridae (includes Civets) Paradoxurinae Arctictis Binturong (A. binturong) Arctogalidia Small-toothed Palm Civet (A. trivirgata) Macrogalidia Sulawesi Palm Civet (M. musschenbroekii) Paguma Masked Palm Civet (P. larvata) Paradoxurus Asian Palm Civet (P. hermaphroditus) · Jerdon's Palm Civet (P. jerdoni) · Golden Palm Civet (P. zeylonensis) Hemigalinae Chrotogale Owston's Palm Civet (C. owstoni) Cynogale Otter Civet (C. bennettii) Diplogale Hose's Palm Civet (D. hosei) Hemigalus Banded Palm Civet (H. derbyanus) Prionodontinae (Asiatic linsangs) Prionodon Banded Linsang (P. linsang) · Spotted Linsang (P. pardicolor) Viverrinae Civettictis African Civet (C. civetta) Genetta (Genets) Abyssinian Genet (G. abyssinica) · Angolan Genet (G. angolensis) · Bourlon's Genet (G. bourloni) · Crested Servaline Genet (G. cristata) · Common Genet (G. genetta) · Johnston's Genet (G. johnstoni) · Rusty-spotted Genet (G. maculata) · Pardine Genet (G. pardina) · Aquatic Genet (G. piscivora) · King Genet (G. poensis) · Servaline Genet (G. servalina) · Haussa Genet (G. thierryi) · Cape Genet (G. tigrina) · Giant Forest Genet (G. victoriae) Poiana Leighton's Linsang (P. leightoni) · African Linsang (P. richardsonii) Viverra Malabar Large-spotted Civet (V. civettina) · Large-spotted Civet (V. megaspila) · Malayan Civet (V. tangalunga) · Large Indian Civet (V. zibetha) Viverricula Small Indian Civet (V. indica)   Family Eupleridae Euplerinae Cryptoprocta Fossa (C. ferox) Eupleres Falanouc (E. goudotii) Fossa Malagasy Civet (F. fossana) Galidiinae Galidia Ring-tailed Mongoose (G. elegans) Galidictis Broad-striped Malagasy Mongoose (G. fasciata) · Grandidier's Mongoose (G. grandidieri) Mungotictis Narrow-striped Mongoose (M. decemlineata) Salanoia Brown-tailed Mongoose (S. concolor)   Suborder Caniformia (cont. below) Ursidae (Bears) Ailuropoda Giant Panda (A. melanoleuca) Helarctos Sun Bear (H. malayanus) Melursus Sloth Bear (M. ursinus) Tremarctos Spectacled Bear (T. ornatus) Ursus American Black Bear (U. americanus) · Brown Bear (U. arctos) · Polar bear (U. maritimus) · Asian Black Bear (U. thibetanus) Mephitidae (Skunks) Conepatus (Hog-nosed skunks) Molina's Hog-nosed Skunk (C. chinga) · Humboldt's Hog-nosed Skunk (C. humboldtii) · American Hog-nosed Skunk (C. leuconotus) · Striped Hog-nosed Skunk (C. semistriatus) Mephitis Hooded Skunk (M. macroura) · Striped Skunk (M. mephitis) Mydaus Sunda Stink Badger (M. javanensis) · Palawan Stink Badger (M. marchei) Spilogale (Spotted skunks) Southern Spotted Skunk (S. angustifrons) · Western Spotted Skunk (S. gracilis) · Eastern Spotted Skunk (S. putorius) · Pygmy Spotted Skunk (S. pygmaea) Procyonidae Bassaricyon (Olingos) Allen's Olingo (B. alleni) · Beddard's Olingo (B. beddardi) · Bushy-tailed Olingo (B. gabbii) · Harris's Olingo (B. lasius) · Chiriqui Olingo (B. pauli) Bassariscus Ring-tailed Cat (B. astutus) · Cacomistle (B. sumichrasti) Nasua (Coatis inclusive) White-nosed Coati (N. narica) · South American Coati (N. nasua) Nasuella (Coatis inclusive) Mountain Coati (N. olivacea) Potos Kinkajou (P. flavus) Procyon Crab-eating Raccoon (P. cancrivorus) · Raccoon (P. lotor) · Cozumel Raccoon (P. pygmaeus) Ailuridae Ailurus Red Panda (A. fulgens)   Suborder Caniformia (cont. above) Otariidae (Eared seals) (includes fur seals and sea lions) (Pinniped inclusive) Arctocephalus South American Fur Seal (A. australis) · Australasian Fur Seal (A. forsteri) · Galápagos Fur Seal (A. galapagoensis) · Antarctic Fur Seal (A. gazella) · Juan Fernández Fur Seal (A. philippii) · Brown Fur Seal (A. pusillus) · Guadalupe Fur Seal (A. townsendi) · Subantarctic Fur Seal (A. tropicalis) Callorhinus Northern Fur Seal (C. ursinus) Eumetopias Steller Sea Lion (E. jubatus) Neophoca Australian Sea Lion (N. cinerea) Otaria South American Sea Lion (O. flavescens) Phocarctos New Zealand Sea Lion (P. hookeri) Zalophus California Sea Lion (Z. californianus) · Galápagos Sea Lion (Z. wollebaeki) Odobenidae (Pinniped inclusive) Odobenus Walrus (O. rosmarus) Phocidae (Earless seals) (Pinniped inclusive) Cystophora Hooded Seal (C. cristata) Erignathus Bearded Seal (E. barbatus) Halichoerus Gray Seal (H. grypus) Histriophoca Ribbon Seal (H. fasciata) Hydrurga Leopard Seal (H. leptonyx) Leptonychotes Weddell Seal (L. weddellii) Lobodon Crabeater Seal (L. carcinophagus) Mirounga (Elephant seals) Northern Elephant Seal (M. angustirostris) · Southern Elephant Seal (M. leonina) Monachus Mediterranean Monk Seal (M. monachus) · Hawaiian Monk Seal (M. schauinslandi) Ommatophoca Ross Seal (O. rossi) Pagophilus Harp Seal (P. groenlandicus) Phoca Spotted Seal (P. largha) · Harbor Seal (P. vitulina) Pusa Caspian Seal (P. caspica) · Ringed Seal (P. hispida) · Baikal Seal (P. sibirica) Canidae Large family listed below Mustelidae Large family listed below   Family Canidae Atelocynus Short-eared Dog (A. microtis) Canis Side-striped Jackal (C. adustus) · Golden Jackal (C. aureus) · Coyote (C. latrans) · Gray Wolf (C. lupus) · Dog (C. lupus familiaris) · Black-backed Jackal (C. mesomelas) · Ethiopian Wolf (C. simensis) Cerdocyon Crab-eating Fox (C. thous) Chrysocyon Maned Wolf (C. brachyurus) Cuon Dhole (C. alpinus) Lycalopex Culpeo (L. culpaeus) · Darwin's Fox (L. fulvipes) · South American Gray Fox (L. griseus) · Pampas Fox (L. gymnocercus) · Sechuran Fox (L. sechurae) · Hoary Fox (L. vetulus) Lycaon African Wild Dog (L. pictus) Nyctereutes Raccoon Dog (N. procyonoides) Otocyon Bat-eared Fox (O. megalotis) Speothos Bush Dog (S. venaticus) Urocyon Gray Fox (U. cinereoargenteus) · Island Fox (U. littoralis) Vulpes Bengal Fox (V. bengalensis) · Blanford's Fox (V. cana) · Cape Fox (V. chama) · Corsac Fox (V. corsac) · Tibetan Sand Fox (V. ferrilata) · Arctic Fox (V. lagopus) · Kit Fox (V. macrotis) · Pale Fox (V. pallida) · Rüppell's Fox (V. rueppelli) · Swift Fox (V. velox) · Red Fox (V. vulpes) · Fennec Fox (V. zerda)   Family Mustelidae Lutrinae (Otters) Aonyx African Clawless Otter (A. capensis) · Oriental Small-clawed Otter (A. cinerea) Enhydra Sea otter (E. lutris) Hydrictis Spotted-necked Otter (H. maculicollis) Lontra North American River Otter (L. canadensis) · Marine Otter (L. felina) · Neotropical Otter (L. longicaudis) · Southern River Otter (L. provocax) Lutra European Otter (L. lutra) · Hairy-nosed Otter (L. sumatrana) Lutrogale Smooth-coated Otter (L. perspicillata) Pteronura Giant Otter (P. brasiliensis) Mustelinae (including Badgers) Arctonyx Hog Badger (A. collaris) Eira Tayra (E. barbara) Galictis Lesser Grison (G. cuja) · Greater Grison (G. vittata) Gulo Wolverine (G. gulo) Ictonyx Saharan Striped Polecat (I. libyca) · Striped Polecat (I. striatus) Lyncodon Patagonian Weasel (L. patagonicus) Martes (Martens) American Marten (M. americana) · Yellow-throated Marten (M. flavigula) · Beech Marten (M. foina) · Nilgiri Marten (M. gwatkinsii) · European Pine Marten (M. martes) · Japanese Marten (M. melampus) · Fisher (M. pennanti) · Sable (M. zibellina) Meles Japanese Badger (M. anakuma) · Asian Badger (M. leucurus) · European Badger (M. meles) Mellivora Honey Badger (M. capensis) Melogale (Ferret-badgers) Bornean Ferret-badger (M. everetti) · Chinese Ferret-badger (M. moschata) · Javan Ferret-badger (M. orientalis) · Burmese Ferret-badger (M. personata) Mustela (Weasels) Amazon Weasel (M. africana) · Mountain Weasel (M. altaica) · Ermine (M. erminea) · Steppe Polecat (M. eversmannii) · Colombian Weasel (M. felipei) · Long-tailed Weasel (M. frenata) · Japanese Weasel (M. itatsi) · Yellow-bellied Weasel (M. kathiah) · European Mink (M. lutreola) · Indonesian Mountain Weasel (M. lutreolina) · Black-footed Ferret (M. nigripes) · Least Weasel (M. nivalis) · Malayan Weasel (M. nudipes) · European Polecat (M. putorius) · Siberian Weasel (M. sibirica) · Back-striped Weasel (M. strigidorsa) · Egyptian Weasel (M. subpalmata) Neovison (Minks) American Mink (N. vison) Poecilogale African Striped Weasel (P. albinucha) Taxidea American Badger (T. taxus) Vormela Marbled Polecat (V. peregusna)

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