Weasels
As far as this article is concerned, Weasels are referring to the family of carnivorous mammals called Mustelidae. In related circles, Mustelidae is commonly referred to as “the Weasel family”. This is not exactly accurate however, as Weasels themselves form an individual genus within the family, called Mustela. In the past, the family Mustelidae has been a catch-all category for certain carnivorous mammals that lacked classification, making the “Weasel Family” the largest in the Order Carnivora, and quite a diverse group of animals. This family contains weasels, otters, ferrets, wolverines, badgers, honey badgers, polecats and minks, among others (see classification below).
As you can tell, there is a wide variation between the species within the Weasel family, but there are still common characteristics between them all. Most are nocturnal and solitary and do not hibernate during the cold season. They are normally smaller mammals that have thick fur, and have short legs, and small, rounded ears.
Mammals in the Mustelidae family are all predominately carnivorous. They all have teeth that have been adapted to eating meat. Some Mustelids will however eat vegetable matter in some quanitity.
Weasel Classification
| Kingdom: Animalia |
| Phylum: Chordata |
| Class: Mammalia |
| Order: Carnivora |
| Suborder: Caniformia |
| Superfamiliy: Musteloidea |
| Family: Mustelidae (Weasel Family) |
| Subfamily: Lutrinae (Otters) |
| Genus Aonyx |
| - Aonyx capensis (African Clawless Otter) |
| - Aonyx capensis congicus (Cameroon Clawless Otter) |
| - Aonyx cinerea (Oriental Small-clawed Otter) |
| Genus Enhydra |
| - Enhydra lutris (Sea Otter) |
| - Enhydra lutris lutris (Common Sea Otter) |
| - Enhydra lutris nereis (Southern Sea Otter) |
| - Enhydra lutris kenyoni (Northern Sea Otter) |
| Genus Lontra |
| - Lontra canadensis |
| - Lontra canadensis canadensis |
| - Lontra canadensis enudris |
| - Lontra canadensis evexa |
| - Lontra canadensis kodiacensis |
| - Lontra canadensis lataxina |
| - Lontra canadensis mira |
| - Lontra canadensis pacifica |
| - Lontra canadensis periclyzomae |
| - Lontra canadensis preblei |
| - Lontra canadensis sonora |
| - Lontra felina (Marine Otter) |
| - Lontra longicaudis (Neotropical Otter) |
| - Lontra longicaudis annectens |
| - Lontra longicaudis colombiana |
| - Lontra longicaudis enudris |
| - Lontra longicaudis incarum |
| - Lontra longicaudis longicaudis |
| - Lontra longicaudis platensis |
| - Lontra provocax (Southern River Otter) |
| Genus Lutra |
| - Lutra lutra (European Otter) |
| - Lutra nippon (Japanese Otter) |
| - Lutra sumatrana (Hairy-nosed Otter) |
| Genus Hydrictis |
| - Hydrictis maculicollis (Spotted-necked Otter) |
| Genus Lutrogale |
| - Lutrogale cretensis (Cretan Otter) – Extinct |
| - Lutrogale palaeoleptonyx |
| - Lutrogale perspicillata (Smooth-coated Otter) |
| Genus Pteronura |
| - Pteronura brasiliensis (Giant Otter) |
| Subfamily: Mustelinae |
| Genus Arctonyx |
| - Arctonyx collaris (Hog Badger) |
| Genus Eira |
| - Eira barbara (Tayra) |
| - Eira barbara barbara (Tayra) |
| - Eira barbara biologiae (Tayra) |
| - Eira barbara inserta (Tayra) |
| - Eira barbara madeirensis (Tayra) |
| - Eira barbara peruana (Tayra) |
| - Eira barbara poliocephala (Tayra) |
| - Eira barbara senex (Tayra) |
| - Eira barbara senilis (Tayra) |
| - Eira barbara sinuensis (Tayra) |
| Genus Galictis |
| - Galictis cuja (Lesser Grison) |
| - Galictis vittata (Greater Grison) |
| Genus Ictonyx |
| - Ictonyx libycus (Saharan Striped Polecat) |
| - Ictonyx striatus (Striped Polecat) |
| Genus Lyncodon |
| - Lyncodon patagonicus (Patagonian Weasel) |
| - Lyncodon patagonicus patagonicus (Patagonian Weasel) |
| - Lyncodon patagonicus thomasi (Patagonian Weasel) |
| Genus Martes |
| - Martes americana (American Marten) |
| - Martes flavigula (Yellow-throated Marten) |
| - Martes flavigula chrysospila |
| - Martes flavigula flavigula |
| - Martes flavigula robinsoni |
| - Martes foina (Beech Marten) |
| - Martes gwatkinsii (Nilgiri Marten) |
| - Martes martes (European Pine Marten) |
| - Martes melampus (Japanese Marten) |
| - Martes melampus coreensis |
| - Martes melampus melampus |
| - Martes melampus tsuensis |
| - Martes pennanti (Fisher, Fisher Cat) |
| - Martes zibellina (Sable) |
| Genus Meles |
| - Meles anakuma (Japanese Badger) |
| - Meles leucurus (Asian Badger) |
| - Meles meles (European Badger) |
| Genus Mellivora |
| - Mellivora capensis (Honey Badger) |
| - Mellivora capensis buechneri |
| - Mellivora capensis capensis |
| - Mellivora capensis inaurita |
| - Mellivora capensis indica |
| Genus Melogale (Ferret-badgers) |
| - Melogale everetti (Bornean Ferret-badger) |
| - Melogale moschata (Chinese Ferret-badger) |
| - Melogale orientalis (Javan Ferret-badger) |
| - Melogale personata (Burmese Ferret-badger) |
| Genus Mustela |
| - Mustela africana (Amazon Weasel) |
| - Mustela altaica (Mountain Weasel) |
| - Mustela erminea (Stoat, Ermine) |
| - Mustela erminea alascensis |
| - Mustela erminea algiricus |
| - Mustela erminea anguinae |
| - Mustela erminea angustidens |
| - Mustela erminea arctica |
| - Mustela erminea audax |
| - Mustela erminea bangsi |
| - Mustela erminea celenda |
| - Mustela erminea fallenda |
| - Mustela erminea ferghanae |
| - Mustela erminea gulosa |
| - Mustela erminea haidarum (Ermine Haidarum) |
| - Mustela erminea herminea |
| - Mustela erminea hibernica |
| - Mustela erminea imperii |
| - Mustela erminea initis |
| - Mustela erminea invicta |
| - Mustela erminea kadiacensis |
| - Mustela erminea kanei |
| - Mustela erminea labiata |
| - Mustela erminea leptus |
| - Mustela erminea lymani |
| - Mustela erminea microtis |
| - Mustela erminea mortigena |
| - Mustela erminea muricus (Ermine Weasel) |
| - Mustela erminea nippon (Hondo Stoat) |
| - Mustela erminea olympica (Olympic Ermine) |
| - Mustela erminea orientalis (Ezo Stoat) |
| - Mustela erminea polaris |
| - Mustela erminea pusilla |
| - Mustela erminea richardsonii |
| - Mustela erminea rixosa |
| - Mustela erminea salva |
| - Mustela erminea seclusa |
| - Mustela erminea semplei |
| - Mustela erminea streatori |
| - Mustela erminea vulgaris |
| - Mustela erminea whiteheadi |
| - Mustela eversmannii (Steppe Polecat) |
| - Mustela felipei (Colombian Weasel) |
| - Mustela frenata (Long-tailed Weasel) |
| - Mustela itatsi (Japanese Weasel) |
| - Mustela kathiah (Yellow-bellied Weasel) |
| - Mustela lutreola (European Mink) |
| - Mustela lutreolina (Indonesian Mountain Weasel) |
| - Mustela nigripes (Black-footed Ferret) |
| - Mustela nivalis (Least Weasel) |
| - Mustela nivalis allegheniensis |
| - Mustela nivalis campestris |
| - Mustela nivalis eskimo |
| - Mustela nivalis minuta (Dwarf Weasel) |
| - Mustela nivalis nivalis (North Weasel) |
| - Mustela nivalis rixosa |
| - Mustela nivalis vulgaris (South Weasel) |
| - Mustela nudipes (Malayan Weasel) |
| - Mustela putorius (European Polecat) |
| - Mustela sibirica (Siberian Weasel) |
| - Mustela strigidorsa (Back-striped Weasel) |
| - Mustela subpalmata (Egyptian Weasel) |
| Genus Neovison |
| - Neovison macrodon (Sea Mink) |
| - Neovison vison (American Mink) |
| Genus Poecilogale |
| - Poecilogale albinucha (African Striped Weasel) |
| Genus Taxidea |
| - Taxidea taxus (American Badger) |
| Genus Vormela |
| - Vormela peregusna (Marbled Polecat) |