Mustelidae

{{Short description|Family of mammals}} {{EngvarB|date=June 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = Mustelidae | image = <!--imagemap maps to original image coordinates: 1,599 × 1,594 pixels rect top-left cords, bottom-right corners--> <imagemap> File:Mustelidae-01.jpg|250px|alt=Alt text rect 0 0 799 532 European pine marten (''Martes martes'') rect 800 0 1599 532 European badger (''Meles meles'') rect 0 533 799 1064 Eurasian otter (''Lutra lutra'') rect 800 533 1599 1064 Wolverine (''Gulo gulo'') rect 0 1066 799 1594 Stoat or short-tailed weasel (''Mustela erminea'') rect 800 1066 1599 1594 Honey badger (''Mellivora capensis'') desc none default Mustelidae </imagemap> | image_caption = |range_map = Mustelid_Distribution.png |range_map_caption = The native distribution and density of extant mustelid species. | fossil_range = {{Fossil range|Oligocene|Recent}}<ref name=Paterson2020 /> | taxon = Mustelidae | authority = G. Fischer de Waldheim, 1817 | type_genus = ''Mustela'' | type_genus_authority = Linnaeus, 1758 | subdivision_ranks = Subfamilies | subdivision = *Guloninae (martens, tayra, fisher, wolverine) *Helictidinae (ferret-badgers) *Ictonychinae (grisons, African polecats) *Lutrinae (otters) *Melinae (Eurasian badgers) *Mellivorinae (honey badger) *Mustelinae (weasels) *Taxidiinae (American badger) *{{extinct}}Oligobuninae }}

The '''Mustelidae''' ({{IPAc-en|m|ʌ|ˈ|s|t|ɛ|l|ᵻ|d|iː}};<ref>{{cite Merriam-Webster|Mustelidae}}</ref> from Latin {{Lang|la|mustela}}, weasel) are a diverse family of carnivoran mammals, including weasels, badgers, otters, sea otters, polecats, martens, grisons and wolverines. Otherwise known as '''mustelids''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|ʌ|s|t|ᵻ|l|ɪ|d|z}}<ref>{{cite Dictionary.com|mustelid}}</ref>), they form the largest family in the suborder Caniformia of the order Carnivora with about 66 to 70 species in nine subfamilies.<ref name="Law-2018">{{Cite journal|last1= Law|first1=C. J.|last2= Slater|first2=G. J.|last3= Mehta|first3=R. S.|date= 2018-01-01|title= Lineage Diversity and Size Disparity in Musteloidea: Testing Patterns of Adaptive Radiation Using Molecular and Fossil-Based Methods|journal= Systematic Biology|volume= 67|issue= 1|pages= 127–144|doi= 10.1093/sysbio/syx047|pmid=28472434|doi-access= free}}</ref>

== Variety == {{more citations needed section|date=March 2022}} Mustelids vary greatly in size and behaviour. The smaller variants of the least weasel can be under {{convert|20|cm|0|abbr=on}} in length,<ref>{{cite book |author1=John O. Whitaker Jr. |title=The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals |date=1980 |publisher=Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. |location=New York, NY |isbn=9780394507620 |page=573 |chapter=207 Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis)}}</ref> while the giant otter of Amazonian South America can measure up to {{convert|1.7|m|abbr=on}} and sea otters can exceed {{convert|45|kg|lb|abbr=on}} in weight. Wolverines can crush bones as thick as the femur of a moose to get at the marrow, and have been seen attempting to drive bears away from their kills. The sea otter uses rocks to break open shellfish to eat. Martens are largely arboreal, while European badgers dig extensive tunnel networks, called setts. Only one mustelid has been domesticated; the ferret.<ref name="Wolf2009">{{cite book |author1=Wolf, Tiffany M. |title=Manual of Exotic Pet Practice |date=2009 |publisher=Saunders Elsevier |location=St Louis, MO |isbn=9781416001195 |pages=345–374 |chapter=Chapter 13: Ferrets}}</ref>

Tayra are also kept as pets (although they require a Dangerous Wild Animals licence in the UK),<ref name="UKWildAnimals2007">{{cite web |title=The Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 (Modification) (No.2) Order 2007 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/2465/schedule/made |website=All UK Legislation |publisher=The National Archives |access-date=30 April 2026}}</ref> 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.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

Mustelidae is one of the oldest and most species-rich families in the order Carnivora. Mustelid-like forms appeared about 40&nbsp;million years ago (Mya), roughly coinciding with the appearance of rodents. The common ancestor of modern mustelids appeared about 18&nbsp;Mya.<ref name="Law-2018" />

== Characteristics == [[File:Black-footed ferret skeleton.jpg|thumb|Skeleton of a black-footed ferret (''Mustela nigripes'') on display at the Museum of Osteology]] Within a large range of variation, the mustelids exhibit some common characteristics. They are typically small animals with elongated bodies, short legs, short skulls, short, round ears, and thick fur.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Law|first1=C. J.|last2=Slater|first2=G. J.|last3=Mehta|first3=R. S.|title=Shared extremes by ectotherms and endotherms: Body elongation in mustelids is associated with small size and reduced limbs|journal= Evolution|issue=4|pages=735–749|doi= 10.1111/evo.13702|year=2019|volume=73|pmid=30793764|bibcode=2019Evolu..73..735L |doi-access=free}}</ref>

Mustelids' long, slender body structure is adapted to three main lifestyles: terrestrial; arboreal; and aquatic/semi-aquatic.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=Biology and conservation of musteloids |date=2018 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-182051-9 |editor-last=Macdonald |editor-first=David W. |editor-link1=David Macdonald (biologist) |edition=First |location=Oxford |editor-last2=Newman |editor-first2=Christopher |editor-last3=Harrington |editor-first3=L. A.}}</ref> They exhibit digitigrade or plantigrade locomotion, with five toes on each foot, enabling them to move in different ways (i.e., digging, climbing, swimming).<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |title=Mammalogy: adaptation, diversity, ecology |date=2020 |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |isbn=978-1-4214-3652-4 |edition=5th |location=Baltimore, Maryland}}</ref>

Most mustelids are solitary, nocturnal animals, and are active year-round.<ref name=EoM>{{cite book|editor-last=Macdonald |editor-first=D. |editor-link=David Macdonald (biologist) |last= King |first=Carolyn|year= 1984|title= The Encyclopedia of Mammals|publisher= Facts on File|location= New York|pages= [https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofma00mals_0/page/108 108–109]|isbn= 978-0-87196-871-5|url= https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofma00mals_0/page/108}}</ref> Their dense fur, often serving as natural camouflage, undergoes seasonal changes to help them adjust to varying environmental conditions.<ref name=":0" />

With the exception of the sea otter<ref>{{cite book | title=The Sea Otter in the Eastern Pacific Ocean | last=Kenyon |first=Karl W.| year=1969|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JKUeAQAAIAAJ}}</ref> they have anal scent glands that produce a strong-smelling secretion the animals use for sexual signalling and marking territory.

===Reproduction=== {{anchor|Reproduction}} Mustelids exhibit sexual dimorphism, with males being larger than females, but degree varies between species as well as geographically within species.<ref name=":0" /> Male mustelids have a bifurcated penis and baculum.<ref name=":1" /> Most mustelid reproduction involves embryonic diapause.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Amstislavsky | first1=Sergei | first2=Yulia | last2=Ternovskaya | url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117174933/https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f3b8/69a6701e7bb11035119faf36745f0bd0fafc.pdf | title=Reproduction in mustelids | journal=Animal Reproduction Science | volume=60 | date=2000 | pages=571–581}}</ref> The embryo does not immediately implant in the uterus, but remains dormant for some 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 favourable environmental conditions. Reproduction has a large energy cost, so 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.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

===Diet=== Mustelids are predominantly carnivorous, although some eat vegetable matter at times. While not all mustelids share an identical dentition, they all possess teeth adapted for eating flesh, including the presence of shearing carnassials. One characteristic trait is a meat-shearing upper-back molar that is rotated 90°, towards the inside of the mouth.<ref>{{cite web | last = Pratt | first = Philip | title = Dentition of the Wolverine | publisher = The Wolverine Foundation, Inc. | url = http://www.wolverinefoundation.org/dentition.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080527021506/http://www.wolverinefoundation.org/dentition.htm | archive-date = 27 May 2008 | access-date = 1 July 2007}}</ref><ref name="akfishgame">{{cite web | last = Taylor | first = Ken | title = Wolverine | work = Wildlife Notebook Series | publisher = Alaska Department of Fish & Game | year = 1994 | url = http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/furbear/wolverin.php | access-date = 21 January 2007 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061206233223/http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/furbear/wolverin.php | archive-date = 6 December 2006}}</ref>

With variation between species, the most common dental formula is {{DentalFormula|upper=3.1.3.1|lower=3.1.3.2}}, for a total of 34 teeth.<ref name=EoM />

== Ecology == [[File:Stoat killing a rabbit.jpg|thumb|Stoat killing a rabbit]] The fisher, tayra, and martens are partially arboreal,<ref name="Lamsa_etal2026">{{cite journal |last1=Lämsä |first1=Pinja-Emilia |last2=Hovi |first2=Aarne |last3=Lindén |first3=Andreas |last4=Rautiainen |first4=Miina |title=Forest structure from airborne laser scanning explains nationwide occurrence patterns of pine marten, stoat and least weasel across Finland |journal=Forest Ecology and Management |date=2026 |volume=612 |article-number=123742 |doi=10.1016/j.foreco.2026.123742}}</ref> while badgers are fossorial.<ref name="Li_etal2024">{{cite journal |last1=Li |first1=Jiawei |last2=Li |first2=Dongrui |last3=Fu |first3=Yanwen |last4=Ma |first4=Yiwen |last5=Ge |first5=Jianping |last6=Feng |first6=Limin |title=The abundance and sett ecological characteristics of the Asian badger (Meles leucurus) in the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park (NE China) |journal=Global Ecology and Conservation |date=2024 |volume=56 |article-number=e03272 |doi=10.1016/j.gecco.2024.e03272|doi-access=free }}</ref> A number of mustelids have aquatic lifestyles, ranging from semiaquatic minks and river otters<!--intentional link to DAB page--> to the fully aquatic sea otter, which is one of the few nonprimate mammals known to use tools while foraging.<ref name="Law_etal2024">{{cite journal |last1=Law |first1=Chris J. |last2=Tinker |first2=M. Tim |last3=Fujii |first3=Jessica A. |last4=Nicholson |first4=Teri |last5=Staedler |first5=Michelle |last6=Tomoleoni |first6=Joseph A. |last7=Young |first7=Colleen |last8=Mehta |first8=Rita S. |title=Tool use increases mechanical foraging success and tooth health in southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) |journal=Science |date=2024 |volume=384 |issue=6697 |pages=798–802 |doi=10.1126/science.adj6608 |pmid=38753790 }}</ref> 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 destroy the kelp in which they live.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

The black-footed ferret is entirely dependent on another keystone species, the prairie dog. A family of four ferrets eats 250 prairie dogs in a year; this requires a stable population of prairie dogs from an area of some {{convert|500|acre|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Jachowski_etal2011">{{cite journal |last1=Jachowski |first1=David S. |last2=Gitzen |first2=Robert A. |last3=Grenier |first3=Martin B. |last4=Holmes |first4=Brian |last5=Millspaugh |first5=Joshua J. |title=The importance of thinking big: Large-scale prey conservation drives black-footed ferret reintroduction success |journal=Biological Conservation |date=2011 |volume=144 |issue=5 |pages=1560–1566 |doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2011.01.025}}</ref>

== Animals of similar appearance == Skunks were previously included as a subfamily of the mustelids, but DNA research placed them in their own separate family (Mephitidae).<ref>{{cite journal | author = Dragoo and Honeycutt | year = 1997 | title= Systematics of Mustelid-like Carnivores | journal = Journal of Mammalogy | volume = 78 | issue = 2 | pages = 426–443 | doi= 10.2307/1382896 | jstor = 1382896 | author2 = Honeycutt, Rodney L | doi-access = free }}</ref>

Mongooses 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 cats) and not the Caniformia (those sharing more recent origins with the dogs). Because mongooses and mustelids occupy similar ecological niches, convergent evolution has led to similarity in form and behavior.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mills |first1=David R. |last2=Do Linh San |first2=Emmanuel |last3=Robinson |first3=Hugh |last4=Isoke |first4=Sam |last5=Slotow |first5=Rob |last6=Hunter |first6=Luke |date=September 2019 |title=Competition and specialization in an African forest carnivore community |journal=Ecology and Evolution |language=en |volume=9 |issue=18 |pages=10092–10108 |doi=10.1002/ece3.5391 |issn=2045-7758 |pmc=6787825 |pmid=31624540|bibcode=2019EcoEv...910092M }}</ref>

== Human uses == [[File:Léonard de Vinci - Dame à l'.jpg|thumb|upright|Detail from Leonardo da Vinci's ''Lady with an Ermine'' ({{ca|1489–1490}})]] Several mustelids, including the mink, the sable (a type of marten), and the stoat (ermine), possess furs that are considered beautiful and valuable, so have been hunted since prehistoric times. From 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.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

One species, the sea mink (''Neogale macrodon'') of New England and Canada, was driven to extinction by fur trappers. Its appearance and habits are almost unknown today because no complete specimens can be found and no systematic contemporary studies were conducted.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

The sea otter, which has the densest fur of any animal,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last1= Yochem |first1= Pamela K. |last2= Stewart |first2= Brent S. |date= 2002 |title= Hair and Fur |editor-last1= Perrin |editor-first1= William F. |editor-last2= Würsig |editor-first2= Bernd |editor-last3= Thewissen |editor-first3= J. G. M. |editor-link3= Hans Thewissen |encyclopedia= Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals |publisher= Academic Press |location= San Diego |page= 548 |url= https://archive.org/details/encyclopedia-of-marine-mammals-pdfdrive/page/548/}} "Sea otters have the densest fur of any mammal, with approximately {{val|130,000|u=hairs|up=cm2|fmt=commas}}, about twice as dense as that of northern fur seals ({{itco|''Callorhinus ursinus''}})."</ref> 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.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

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. The rare European mink (''Mustela lutreola'') is one of the most endangered mustelid species.<ref>{{cite journal |author-link=Thierry Lodé |first1=Thierry |last1=Lodé |first2=J. P. |last2=Cornier |first3=D. |last3=Le Jacques |year=2001 |title=Decline in endangered species as an indication of anthropic pressures: the case of European mink Mustela lutreola western population |journal=Environmental Management |volume=28 |issue=6 |pages=727–735 |doi=10.1007/s002670010257 |pmid=11915962 |bibcode=2001EnMan..28..727L |s2cid=27062634 }}</ref>

The ferret, a domesticated form of the European polecat, is a fairly common pet.<ref name="Croose2024">{{cite journal |last=Croose |first=Lizzie |date=May 2024 |title=Polecats and ferrets: a tale of two species on the rise |journal=BSAVA Companion |volume=2024 |issue=5 |pages=24–26 |doi=10.22233/20412495.0524.24 |url=https://science.rspca.org.uk/documents/d/science/polecats-and-ferrets-companion-pdf |access-date=31 May 2026}}</ref>

== Evolution and systematics == Mustelidae is a subfamily in Musteloidea, a superfamily of mammals that is united by shared skull and teeth characteristics. Mustelids are believed to have separated from their next closest related family, Procyonidae, around 29 million years ago.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Yonezawa |first1=Takahiro |last2=Nikaido |first2=Masato |last3=Kohno |first3=Naoki |last4=Fukumoto |first4=Yukio |last5=Okada |first5=Norihiro |last6=Hasegawa |first6=Masami |date=2007-07-01 |title=Molecular phylogenetic study on the origin and evolution of Mustelidae |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0378111907000285 |journal=Gene |volume=396 |issue=1 |pages=1–12 |doi=10.1016/j.gene.2006.12.040 |pmid=17449200 |issn=0378-1119|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

The oldest known mustelid from North America is ''Corumictis wolsani'' from the early and late Oligocene (early and late Arikareean, Ar1–Ar3) of Oregon.<ref name=Paterson2020 /> Middle Oligocene ''Mustelictis'' from Europe might also be a mustelid.<ref name=Paterson2020 />

Other early fossils of the mustelids were dated at the end of the Oligocene to the beginning of the Miocene. Which of these forms are Mustelidae ancestors and which should be considered the first mustelids is unclear.<ref name="Wund2005">{{cite web |url= https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Mustelidae/ |title= Mustelidae|last= Wund|first= M.|date= 2005|website= Animal Diversity Web|publisher= University of Michigan|access-date= 2020-08-14}}</ref>

The fossil record indicates that mustelids appeared in the late Oligocene period (33&nbsp;Mya) in Eurasia and migrated to every continent except Antarctica and Australia (all the continents that were connected during or since the early Miocene). They reached the Americas via the Bering land bridge.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

===Classification=== {{Main|List of mustelids}} The 69 recent mustelids (67 extant species) are classified into eight subfamilies in 22 genera:<ref name="Law-2018" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore the Database|url=https://www.mammaldiversity.org/explore.html|access-date=2021-06-25|website=www.mammaldiversity.org|archive-date=2020-10-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028140029/https://www.mammaldiversity.org/explore.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

{{col-begin}} {{col-2}}'''Subfamily Taxidiinae''' * Genus ''Taxidea'' ** American badger, ''T. taxus''

'''Subfamily Mellivorinae''' * Genus ''Mellivora'' ** Honey badger, ''M. capensis''

'''Subfamily Melinae''' * Genus ''Arctonyx'' ** Northern hog badger, ''A. albogularis'' ** Greater hog badger, ''A. collaris'' ** Sumatran hog badger, ''A. hoevenii'' * Genus ''Meles'' ** Japanese badger, ''M. anakuma'' ** Asian badger, ''M. leucurus'' ** European badger, ''M. meles'' ** Caucasian badger, ''M. canescens''

'''Subfamily Helictidinae''' * Genus ''Melogale'' ** Vietnam ferret-badger, ''M. cucphuongensis'' ** Bornean ferret-badger, ''M. everetti'' ** Chinese ferret-badger, ''M. moschata'' ** Javan ferret-badger, ''M. orientalis'' ** Burmese ferret-badger, ''M. personata'' ** Formosan ferret-badger, ''M. subaurantiaca''

'''Subfamily Guloninae'''<ref name="Nascimento2014">{{cite journal|last1= Nascimento|first1=F. O. do|title=On the correct name for some subfamilies of Mustelidae (Mammalia, Carnivora)|journal= Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia|volume= 54|issue= 21|year= 2014|pages= 307–313|doi= 10.1590/0031-1049.2014.54.21|doi-access= free}}</ref> * Genus ''Eira'' ** Tayra, ''E. barbara'' * Genus ''Gulo'' ** Wolverine, ''G. gulo'' * Genus ''Martes'' ** American marten, ''M. americana'' ** Pacific marten, ''M. caurina'' ** Yellow-throated marten, ''M. flavigula'' ** Beech marten, ''M. foina'' ** Nilgiri marten, ''M. gwatkinsii'' ** European pine marten, ''M. martes'' ** Japanese marten, ''M. melampus'' ** Sable, ''M. zibellina'' * Genus ''Pekania'' ** Fisher, ''P. pennanti''

'''Subfamily Ictonychinae'''<ref name="Nascimento2014" /> * Genus ''Galictis'' ** Lesser grison, ''G. cuja'' ** Greater grison, ''G. vittata'' * Genus ''Ictonyx'' ** Striped polecat, ''I. striatus'' * Genus ''Lyncodon'' ** Patagonian weasel, ''L. patagonicus'' * Genus ''Poecilictis'' ** Saharan striped polecat, ''P. libyca'' * Genus ''Poecilogale'' ** African striped weasel, ''P. albinucha'' * Genus ''Vormela'' ** Marbled polecat, ''V. peregusna''{{col-2}}

'''Subfamily Lutrinae''' (otters) * Genus ''Aonyx'' ** African clawless otter, ''A. capensis'' ** Asian small-clawed otter, ''A. cinerea'' ** Congo clawless otter, ''A. congicus'' * Genus ''Enhydra'' ** Sea otter, ''E. lutris'' * Genus ''Lontra'' ** North American river otter, ''L. canadensis'' ** Marine otter, ''L. felina'' ** Neotropical otter, ''L. longicaudis'' ** Southern river otter, ''L. provocax'' * Genus ''Lutra'' ** Eurasian otter, ''L. lutra'' ** Hairy-nosed otter, ''L. sumatrana'' ** {{extinct}} Japanese otter. ''L. nippon'' * Genus ''Hydrictis'' ** Spotted-necked otter, ''H. maculicollis'' * Genus ''Lutrogale'' ** Smooth-coated otter, ''L. perspicillata'' * Genus ''Pteronura'' ** Giant otter, ''P. brasiliensis''

'''Subfamily Mustelinae''' (weasels, ferrets, and mink) * Genus ''Mustela'' ** Mountain weasel, ''M. altaica'' ** ''M. mopbie''<ref name=jse>{{Cite journal |title=Phylogenomics of the Genus Mustela with description of a new species from China |journal=Journal of Systematics and Evolution |last1=Wei |first1=Qiu-Jin |date=2025-12-08 |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jse.70029 |last2=Cao |first2=Lei |last3=He |first3=Xing-Cheng |last4=Abramov |first4=Alexei |last5=Wang |first5=Jin |last6=Fu |first6=Jie |last7=Li |first7=Rui |last8=Yang |first8=Qi-Sen |last9=Fu |first9=Li-Qiang |last10=Huang |first10=Yao-Hua |last11=Zhou |first11=Cai-Quan |last12=Wen |first12=Zhi-Xin |last13=Ge |first13=De-Yan |publication-date=2025-11-14 |volume=64 |issue=2 |pages=186–202 |doi=10.1111/jse.70029|url-access=subscription }}</ref> ** Stoat (Beringian ermine), ''M. erminea'' ** Steppe polecat, ''M. eversmannii'' ** Domestic ferret, ''M. furo'' ** Haida ermine, ''M. haidarum'' ** 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'' ** American ermine, ''M. richardsonii'' ** Siberian weasel, ''M. sibirica'' ** Back-striped weasel, ''M. strigidorsa'' * Genus ''Neogale''<ref>{{cite journal|first1=Bruce D. |last1=Patterson |first2=Héctor E. |last2=Ramírez-Chaves |first3=Júlio F. |last3=Vilela |first4=André E. R. |last4=Soares |first5=Felix |last5=Grewe |title=On the nomenclature of the American clade of weasels (Carnivora: Mustelidae) |journal=Journal of Animal Diversity |volume=3 |issue=2 |year=2021 |pages=1–8 |issn=2676-685X |doi=10.52547/JAD.2021.3.2.1 |s2cid=236299740 |doi-access=free }}</ref> ** Amazon weasel, ''N. africana'' ** Colombian weasel, ''N. felipei'' ** Long-tailed weasel, ''N. frenata'' ** American mink, ''N. vison'' ** {{extinct}}Sea mink, ''N. macrodon''{{col-end}}

'''Fossil mustelids''' Extinct genera of the family Mustelidae include:

* ''Brachypsalis'' * ''Chamitataxus'' * ''Corumictis''<ref name=Paterson2020>{{cite journal |last1= Paterson |first1= R. |last2=Samuels |first2= J. X. |last3=Rybczynski |first3= N. |last4= Ryan |first4= M. J. |last5= Maddin |first5= H. C. |date= 2019 |title= The earliest mustelid in North America |journal= Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume= 188| issue= 4 |pages= 1318–1339 |doi=10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz091}}</ref> * ''Cyrnaonyx'' * ''Ekorus'' * ''Enhydriodon'' * ''Eomellivora'' * ''Hoplictis''<ref name=Valenciano2019>{{cite journal |last1= Valenciano |first1= A. |last2= Jiangzuo |first2= Q. |display-authors = etal |date= March 2019 |title= First Record of ''Hoplictis'' (Carnivora, Mustelidae) in East Asia from the Miocene of the Ulungur River Area, Xinjiang, Northwest China |journal= Acta Geologica Sinica |volume= 93 |issue= 2 |pages= 251–264 |doi= 10.1111/1755-6724.13820|bibcode= 2019AcGlS..93..251V |s2cid= 133900941 }}</ref> * ''Megalictis'' * ''Oligobunis'' * ''Oaxacagale'' * ''Plesictis'' * ''Sthenictis'' * ''Teruelictis'' * ''Trochictis''<ref>{{cite journal |last1= Morlo |first1= M. |last2= LeMaitre |first2= A. |display-authors = etal |date=2019-11-07 |title= First record of the mustelid Trochictis (Carnivora, Mammalia) from the early Late Miocene (MN 9/10) of Germany and a re-appraisal of the genus Trochictis |journal= Historical Biology |volume= 33 |issue= 8 |pages= 1183–1195 |doi= 10.1080/08912963.2019.1683172 |s2cid= 209607263 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08912963.2019.1683172 |url-access= subscription }}</ref>

===Phylogeny=== Multigene phylogenies constructed by Koepfli et al. (2008)<ref name="Koepfli2008" /> and Law et al. (2018)<ref name="Law-2018" /> found that Mustelidae comprises eight living subfamilies. The early mustelids appear to have undergone two rapid bursts of diversification in Eurasia, with the resulting species spreading to other continents only later.<ref name="Koepfli2008">{{cite journal |last1= Koepfli |first1= Klaus-Peter |title= Multigene phylogeny of the Mustelidae: Resolving relationships, tempo and biogeographic history of a mammalian adaptive radiation |journal= BMC Biology |volume= 6 |article-number= 10 |date= February 2008 |doi= 10.1186/1741-7007-6-10 |pmid= 18275614 |last2= Deere |first2= K. A. | last3= Slater |first3= G. J. |last4= Begg |first4= C. |last5= Begg |first5= K. |last6= Grassman |first6= L. |last7= Lucherini |first7= M. |last8= Veron |first8= G. |last9= Wayne |first9= R. K. |pmc= 2276185 |doi-access= free }}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="500"> File:MustelidaePhylogeneticTree (edited).jpg|Phylogenetic tree of Mustelidae. Contains 53 of the 79 putative mustelid species.<ref name="Law-2018" /> File:Mustelidae timetree (edited).jpg|Time-calibrated tree of Mustelidae showing divergence times between lineages. Split times include: 28.8&nbsp;million years (Ma) for mustelids vs. procyonids; 17.8 Ma for Taxidiinae; 15.5 Ma for Mellivorinae; 14.8 Ma for Melinae; 14.0 Ma for Guloninae + Helictidinae; 11.5 Ma for Guloninae + Naquinae vs. Helictidinae; 12.0 Ma for Ictonychinae; 11.6 Ma for Lutrinae vs. Mustelinae.<ref name="Law-2018" /> </gallery>

Mustelid species diversity is often attributed to an adaptive radiation coinciding with the mid-Miocene climate transition. Contrary to expectations, Law et al. (2018)<ref name="Law-2018" /> found no evidence for rapid bursts of lineage diversification at the origin of the Mustelidae, and further analyses of lineage diversification rates using molecular and fossil-based methods did not find associations between rates of lineage diversification and mid-Miocene climate transition as previously hypothesized.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

==See also== * List of heaviest extant mustelids

==References== {{Reflist|1}}

== Bibliography == {{Refbegin}} * {{cite book | publisher= HarperCollinsPublishers | location = London | isbn = 9780002197793 | pages = 109–131 | chapter = Order Carnivora - Family Mustelidae | title = Collins Field Guide Mammals of Britain & Europe | date = 1993 | author1-last = Macdonald | author1-first = David | author1-link = David Macdonald (biologist) | author2-last = Barrett | author2-first = Pricilla }} * {{cite book | publisher = Alfred A. Knopf | isbn = 978-0-394-50762-0 | page = [https://archive.org/details/audubonsocietyfi00john/page/n754 745] | last = Whitaker | first = John O. | title = The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals | date = 1980-10-12 | url = https://archive.org/details/audubonsocietyfi00john | url-access = registration }} {{Refend}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Mustelidae}} {{Wikispecies|Mustelidae}} *{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/mighty-weasel-preview-nzu4nn/21080/ |title=The Mighty Weasel |date=2020-02-19 |work=Nature }}

{{Carnivora|M.}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q25437}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Mustelidae Category:Carnivora Category:Mammal families Category:Extant Oligocene first appearances Category:Taxa named by Gotthelf Fischer von Waldheim