Mustelids are a diverse family (Mustelidae) of about 62 species of generally small, fur-bearing carnivores found worldwide, except for Australia, Antarctica, and most oceanic islands. They include ferrets , polecats, badgers , martens , otters , and weasels . These animals typically have tube-shaped bodies, short legs, strong, thick necks, and small heads and possess well-developed anal scent glands. Their five-digit feet are equipped with nonretractile claws. While most are carnivorous, some include plant matter in their diet, and some have specialized diets. They evolved from North American and Eurasian forms approximately 30 million years ago.

What are some common types of mustelids?

Mustelids are a diverse family of carnivorous mammals found worldwide, except in Australia, Antarctica, and most oceanic islands. This family includes about 62 species, such as ferrets , polecats , badgers , martens , otters , and wolverines . They are typically fur-bearing animals with a long, tube-shaped body, short legs, and a strong, thick neck. The least weasel is the smallest mustelid, while the sea otter is the largest.

Where do mustelids live in the world?

Mustelids are a diverse family of fur-bearing carnivores, encompassing about 62 species, including weasels, otters, badgers, and ferrets. They are found in terrestrial and aquatic habitats worldwide, with the exception of Australia, Antarctica, and most oceanic islands. Mustelids evolved from North American and Eurasian forms approximately 30 million years ago, during the early Oligocene Epoch.

What do mustelids eat?

Mustelids are a diverse family of carnivores, with the exception of a few that include plant matter in their diets. Most mustelids are carnivorous, with strong canine teeth and sharp molars and premolars. Some mustelids have specialized diets. For example, clawless otters eat crustaceans and mollusks, while other otters primarily eat fish. Weasels consume mice, voles, rats, rabbits, frogs, birds, and bird eggs. The wolverine preys on voles, porcupines, squirrels, moose, deer, sheep, and other livestock and scavenges carcasses of elk, caribou, and other animals. Badgers such as the European badger are omnivorous, eating earthworms, insects, small mammals, fruits, and nuts, while the American badger feeds mostly on rodents.

How do mustelids adapt to their environment?

Mustelids, excluding skunks , are adaptable carnivores found worldwide in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. Most are small with tube-shaped bodies, short legs and sharp, nonretractile claws. Their body shape, while associated with higher metabolism, makes them very active in their constant search for prey. While most are strictly carnivorous, some include fruits or berries in their diet. To survive in different temperatures, mammals use thermoregulation, maintaining a constant body temperature through internal heat generation and behavioral adaptations like seeking shelter.

Why are some mustelids important for their ecosystems or for humans?

Mustelids, such as ferrets , polecats , badgers , martens , and otters , play notable roles in their ecosystems and hold importance for humans. They are fur-bearing carnivores found worldwide, excluding Australia, Antarctica, and most oceanic islands. Many mustelids, such as the American mink, are trapped or raised for their pelts. As carnivores, most mustelids are strictly carnivorous, but a few include plant matter in their diet.

mustelid

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East Siberian white ermine (Mustela erminea)

Examine the decline of the European mink

European mink (Mustela lutreola) with wet brown fur foraging at the edge of a shallow stream, surrounded by mossy rocks and greenery.

A wolverine with dark brown fur and lighter sides climbs along a slanted old tree trunk in a forested habitat.

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Related Topics:: otter; badger; Melinae; Mellivorinae; Mustelinae

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mustelid

mammal

Also known as: Mustelidae

Written by

Serge Lariviere

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Britannica Editors

History

Top Questions

What is a mustelid?
Mustelids are a diverse family (Mustelidae) of about 62 species of generally small, fur-bearing carnivores found worldwide, except for Australia, Antarctica, and most oceanic islands. They include ferrets, polecats, badgers, martens, otters, and weasels.

These animals typically have tube-shaped bodies, short legs, strong, thick necks, and small heads and possess well-developed anal scent glands. Their five-digit feet are equipped with nonretractile claws. While most are carnivorous, some include plant matter in their diet, and some have specialized diets. They evolved from North American and Eurasian forms approximately 30 million years ago.
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What are some common types of mustelids?
Mustelids are a diverse family of carnivorous mammals found worldwide, except in Australia, Antarctica, and most oceanic islands. This family includes about 62 species, such as ferrets, polecats, badgers, martens, otters, and wolverines. They are typically fur-bearing animals with a long, tube-shaped body, short legs, and a strong, thick neck. The least weasel is the smallest mustelid, while the sea otter is the largest.
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Where do mustelids live in the world?
Mustelids are a diverse family of fur-bearing carnivores, encompassing about 62 species, including weasels, otters, badgers, and ferrets. They are found in terrestrial and aquatic habitats worldwide, with the exception of Australia, Antarctica, and most oceanic islands. Mustelids evolved from North American and Eurasian forms approximately 30 million years ago, during the early Oligocene Epoch.
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What do mustelids eat?
Mustelids are a diverse family of carnivores, with the exception of a few that include plant matter in their diets. Most mustelids are carnivorous, with strong canine teeth and sharp molars and premolars.

Some mustelids have specialized diets. For example, clawless otters eat crustaceans and mollusks, while other otters primarily eat fish. Weasels consume mice, voles, rats, rabbits, frogs, birds, and bird eggs. The wolverine preys on voles, porcupines, squirrels, moose, deer, sheep, and other livestock and scavenges carcasses of elk, caribou, and other animals. Badgers such as the European badger are omnivorous, eating earthworms, insects, small mammals, fruits, and nuts, while the American badger feeds mostly on rodents.
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How do mustelids adapt to their environment?
Mustelids, excluding skunks, are adaptable carnivores found worldwide in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. Most are small with tube-shaped bodies, short legs and sharp, nonretractile claws. Their body shape, while associated with higher metabolism, makes them very active in their constant search for prey. While most are strictly carnivorous, some include fruits or berries in their diet.

To survive in different temperatures, mammals use thermoregulation, maintaining a constant body temperature through internal heat generation and behavioral adaptations like seeking shelter.
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Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Why are some mustelids important for their ecosystems or for humans?
Mustelids, such as ferrets, polecats, badgers, martens, and otters, play notable roles in their ecosystems and hold importance for humans. They are fur-bearing carnivores found worldwide, excluding Australia, Antarctica, and most oceanic islands. Many mustelids, such as the American mink, are trapped or raised for their pelts. As carnivores, most mustelids are strictly carnivorous, but a few include plant matter in their diet.
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1. mustelid
2. list of mustelids
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

mustelid, (family Mustelidae), any of about 62 species of ferrets, polecats, badgers, martens, otters, the wolverine, and other members of the weasel family. Historically, skunks were also included in Mustelidae, but genetic analyses suggest that they belong to a separate family of their own (Mephitidae). Mustelids are fur-bearing carnivores that inhabit terrestrial and aquatic regions throughout the world, except Australia, Antarctica, and most oceanic islands. Many mustelids, such as the American mink (Neovison vison), are trapped or raised commercially for their pelts.

Natural history

Most mustelids are fairly small. The least weasel (Mustela nivalis), which measures 11–26 cm (4–10 inches) long and weighs only 25 grams (0.9 ounce), is the smallest. The largest is the sea otter (Enhydra lutris) at about 1 meter (3.3 feet) long and a weight of 25–45 kg (55–99 pounds). The largest terrestrial mustelid is the wolverine (Gulo gulo), found in the northern United States and throughout Canada and northern Europe. It measures up to 1.2 meters in length and can weigh up to 20 kg (44 pounds) or more.

Many mustelids have a long tube-shaped body, short legs, and a strong thick neck with a small head. All possess well-developed anal scent glands. The five digits on each foot are equipped with sharp nonretractile claws. Males are usually larger than females; among some weasels, males are almost twice as large. A tubular body does not retain heat as well as a stockier body of the same weight and is therefore associated with higher metabolism. As a result, mustelids are very active and inquisitive in their constant search for prey.

Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius). Animals, mammals.

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Most mustelids are strictly carnivorous, but a few include plant matter, mostly fruits or berries, in their diet. Dentition is characterized by strong canine teeth and sharp molars and premolars. Some mustelids have specialized diets. Clawless otters (genus Aonyx) specialize in crustaceans (especially crabs) and mollusks, whereas other otters (genus Lutra) are primarily fish eaters. Among the weasels (genus Mustela), specialization occurs even between the sexes, such that males, owing to their larger size, consume larger prey than females do.

Mustelids are mostly solitary except for Eurasian badgers (Meles meles), sea otters, and some northern river otters (Lontra canadensis). In solitary species, association between males and females during the mating season is brief. Mating occurs mostly in the spring, and, in many species, ovulation is induced during copulation. Delayed implantation of the fertilized egg occurs in many mustelids. Females raise the young alone. Only the least weasel produces two litters yearly; other species produce annually. In most mustelids, the young become sexually mature at about 10 months of age. Mustelids evolved from North American and Eurasian forms in the early Oligocene Epoch, some 30 million years ago.

Classification

Family Mustelidae
62 species in 23 genera belonging to 8 subfamilies, found worldwide except Australia and Antarctica.
- Subfamily Guloninae
  11 species.
  - Genus Eira (tayra)
    1 species.
  - Genus Gulo (wolverine)
    1 species.
  - Genus Martes (martens)
    8 species.
  - Genus Pekania (fisher)
    1 species.
- Subfamily Helictidinae
  5 species.
  - Genus Melogale(ferret-badgers)
    5 species.
- Subfamily Ictonychinae
  7 species.
  - Genus Galictis (grisons)
    2 species.
  - Genus Ictonyx (striped polecat and zorilla)
    2 species.
  - Genus Lyncodon (Patagonian weasel)
    1 species.
  - Genus Poecilogale (African striped weasel)
    1 species.
  - Genus Vormela (marbled polecat)
    1 species.
- Subfamily Lutrinae (otters)
  12 species.
  - Genus Amblonyx (small-clawed otter)
    1 species found in South and Southeast Asia and in New Guinea.
  - Genus Aonyx (small-clawed or clawless otter)
    1 species found in sub-Saharan Africa.
  - Genus Enhydra (sea otter)
    1 species found in North America.
  - Genus Hydrictis (spotted-necked otter)
    1 species found in South America.
  - Genus Lontra (river otters)
    4 species found in the Americas.
  - Genus Lutra
    2 species found in Africa and Eurasia.
  - Genus Lutrogale (smooth-coated otter)
    1 species found in southern Asia.
  - Genus Pteronura (giant otter)
    1 species found in South America.
- Subfamily Melinae (badgers)
  7 species.
  - Genus Arctonyx (hog badgers)
    3 species.
  - Genus Meles (Eurasian badgers)
    4 species.
- Subfamily Mellivorinae
  1 species.
  - Genus Mellivora (ratel, or honey badger)
    1 species.
- Subfamily Mustelinae
  18 species.
  - Genus Mustela (weasels, including the mink, ermine, and ferret)
    14 species.
  - Genus Neovison or Neogale (minks)
    4 species.
- Subfamily Taxidiinae
  1 species.
  - Genus Taxidea (American badger)
    1 species.

Serge Lariviere

mustelid

Natural history

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Classification