Long-tailed weasel
Long-tailed weasel | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Family: | Mustelidae |
Genus: | Neogale |
Species: | N. frenata
|
Binomial name | |
Neogale frenata (
Lichtenstein , 1831) | |
Long-tailed weasel range | |
Synonyms | |
Mustela frenata |
The long-tailed weasel (Neogale frenata), also known as the bridled weasel, masked ermine, or big stoat, is a species of
Taxonomy
The long-tailed weasel was originally described in the genus
Evolution
The long-tailed weasel is the product of a process begun 5–7 million years ago, when northern forests were replaced by open grassland, thus prompting an explosive evolution of small, burrowing rodents. The long-tailed weasel's ancestors were larger than the current form, and underwent a reduction in size to exploit the new food source. The long-tailed weasel arose in North America 2 million years ago, shortly before the
Description
The long-tailed weasel is one of the larger weasels (comprising both Neogale and Mustela) in North America. There is substantial disagreement both on the upper end of their size and difference in size by sex by source: one indicates a body length of 300–350 mm (12–14 in) and a tail comprising 40–70% of the head and body length. It adds that in most populations, females are 10–15% smaller than males,[6] thus making them about the same size as large male stoats, according to a second source.[7] A third states they range from 11 to 22 inches (280–560 mm) in length, with the tail measuring an additional 3 to 6 inches (80–150 mm). It maintains the long-tailed weasel weighs between 3 and 9 ounces (85-267 g) with males being about twice as large as the females.[8]
The eyes are black in daylight, but glow bright emerald green when caught in a spotlight at night.[9] The dorsal fur is brown in summer, while the underparts are whitish and tinged with yellowish or buffy brown from the chin to the inguinal region. The tail has a distinct black tip. Long-tailed weasels in Florida and the southwestern US may have facial markings of a white or yellowish colour. In northern areas in winter, the long-tailed weasel's fur becomes white, sometimes with yellow tints, but the tail retains its black tip.[6] The long-tailed weasel moults twice annually, once in autumn (October to mid-November) and once in spring (March–April). Each moult takes about 3–4 weeks and is governed by day length and mediated by the pituitary gland. Unlike the stoat, whose soles are thickly furred all year, the long-tailed weasel's soles are naked in summer.[7] The long-tailed weasel has well-developed anal scent glands, which produce a strong and musky odour. Analysis of a dichloromethane extract of the anal gland secretion showed it contained 2,2-dimethylthietane, 2,4-dimethylthietane, 2,3-dimethylthietane, 2-propylthietane, 3,3-dimethyl-1,2-dithiolane, 3-ethyl-1,2-dithiolane, indole and 2-aminoacetophenone.[10] Unlike skunks, which spray their musk, the long-tailed weasel drags and rubs its body over surfaces in order to leave the scent,[11] to mark their territory and, when startled or threatened, to discourage predators.[12]
Identification
Tracks and scat
The footprint of a long-tailed weasel is about 1 inch (25 mm) long. Although they have five toes, only four of them can be seen in their tracks. The only exception to this is when walking in the snow or mud, all five of their toes are shown. Their footprints will also appear heavier if the weasel is carrying food. Another way to determine the presence of a weasel is by looking for wavy indents made by their tails in the snow.
The long-tailed weasel uses one spot to leave their feces. This spot is usually near where they burrow. They'll continuously use this spot for their droppings until it gets covered by environmental changes.[13]
Distinguishing features
A black-tipped tail, yellowish-white belly fur, and brown fur on its back and sides are distinguishing for the long-tailed weasel. Additionally, the long-tailed weasel has long whiskers, a long narrow body, and a long tail that is approximately half the length of the body and head of the weasel.[14][15][16] Compared to the short-tailed weasel the long-tailed weasel lacks a white line on the insides of its legs.[16]
Behaviour
Reproduction and development
The long-tailed weasel mates in July–August, with implantation of the fertilized egg on the uterine wall being delayed until about March. The
Denning and sheltering behaviour
The long-tailed weasel dens in ground burrows, under stumps or beneath rock piles. It usually does not dig its own burrows, but commonly uses abandoned chipmunk holes. The 22–30 cm (8.7–11.8 in) diameter nest chamber is situated around 60 cm (24 in) from the burrow entrance, and is lined with straw and the fur of prey.[11]
Defense
The enemies of the long-tailed weasel are usually
Another common defense of long-tailed weasels is its black-tipped tail, which differs in color from the rest of the body.[19] When the long-tailed weasel becomes more white in the winter, this defense mechanism is especially used. The black-tipped tail distracts predators from the rest of the body, as it is more visible to the eye of a predator.[20] This causes the visibility of the actual weasel to be rather difficult and makes the predator attack the tail instead of the weasel. The weasel is allowed to escape the predator because of this.
Diet
The long-tailed weasel is a fearless and aggressive hunter which may attack animals far larger than itself. When stalking, it waves its head from side to side in order to pick up the scent of its prey. It hunts small prey, such as mice, by rushing at them and killing them with one bite to the head. With large prey, such as rabbits, the long-tailed weasel strikes quickly, taking its prey off guard. It grabs the nearest part of the animal and climbs upon its body, maintaining its hold with its feet. The long-tailed weasel then manoeuvres itself to inflict a lethal bite to the neck.[21]
The long-tailed weasel is an
Subspecies
As of 2005[update],[18] 42 subspecies are recognised.
Subspecies | Trinomial authority | Description | Range | Synonyms |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bridled weasel N. f. frenata ( Nominate subspecies )
|
Lichtenstein, 1831 | A large subspecies with a long tail, relatively short black tip and has a black head with conspicuous white markings[22] | Mexico | aequatorialis (Coues, 1877) brasiliensis (Sevastianoff, 1813) |
N. f. affinis | Gray, 1874 | A large, very dark subspecies with very little white marking on the face[23] | costaricensis (J. A. Allen, 1916) macrurus (J. A. Allen, 1912) | |
N. f. agilis | Tschudi, 1844 | macrura (J. A. Allen 1916) | ||
Black Hills long-tailed weasel N. f. alleni |
Merriam, 1896 | Similar to arizonensis in size and general characters, but with yellower upper parts[24] | The Black Hills, South Dakota | |
N. f. altifrontalis | Hall, 1936 | saturata (Miller, 1912) | ||
Arizona long-tailed weasel N. f. arizonensis |
Mearns, 1891 | Similar to longicauda, but smaller in size[25] | The Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountain systems, reaching British Columbia in the Rocky Mountain region | |
N. f. arthuri | Hall, 1927 | |||
N. f. aureoventris | Gray, 1864 | affinis (Lönnberg, 1913) jelskii (Taczanowski, 1881) | ||
Bolivian long-tailed weasel N. f. boliviensis |
Hall, 1938 | |||
N. f. celenda | Hall, 1944 | |||
Costa Rican long-tailed weasel N. f. costaricensis |
Goldman, 1912 | brasiliensis (Gray, 1874) | ||
N. f. effera | Hall, 1936 | |||
Chiapas long-tailed weasel N. f. goldmani |
Merriam, 1896 | Similar to frenata in size and general characters, but with a longer tail and hind feet, darker fur and more restricted white markings[26] | The mountains of southeastern Chiapas | |
N. f. gracilis | Brown, 1908 | |||
N. f. helleri | Hall, 1935 | |||
Inyo long-tailed weasel N. f. inyoensis |
Hall, 1936 | |||
N. f. latirostra | Hall, 1896 | arizonensis (Grinnell and Swarth, 1913) | ||
N. f. leucoparia | Merriam, 1896 | Similar to frenata, but slightly larger and with more extensive white markings[27] | ||
Common long-tailed weasel N. f. longicauda |
Bonaparte, 1838 | A large subspecies with a very long tail with a short black tip. The upper parts are pale yellowish brown or pale raw amber brown, while the underparts vary in colour from strong buffy yellow to ochraceous orange.[28] | The Great Plains from Kansas northward | |
N. f. macrophonius | Elliot, 1905 | |||
N. f. munda | Bangs, 1899 | |||
New Mexico long-tailed weasel N. f. neomexicanus |
Barber and Cockerell, 1898 | |||
Nevada long-tailed weasel N. f. nevadensis |
Hall, 1936 | longicauda (Coues, 1891) | ||
Nicaraguan long-tailed weasel N. f. nicaraguae |
J. A. Allen, 1916 | |||
N. f. nigriauris | Hall, 1936 | xanthogenys (Gray, 1874) | ||
N. f. notius |
Bangs, 1899 | |||
New York long-tailed weasel N. f. noveboracensis |
Emmons, 1840 | A large subspecies, with a shorter tail than longicauda. The upper parts are rich, dark chocolate brown, while the underparts and upper lip are white and washed with yellowish colouring.[29] | The eastern United States from southern Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois | fusca (DeKay, 1842) richardsonii (Baird, 1858) |
N. f. occisor | Bangs, 1899 | |||
N. f. olivacea | Howell, 1913 | |||
Oregon long-tailed weasel N. f. oregonensis |
Merriam, 1896 | Similar to xanthogenys, but larger, darker in colour and with more restricted facial markings[30] | The Rogue River Valley, Oregon | |
N. f. oribasus | Bangs, 1899 | |||
Panama long-tailed weasel N. f. panamensis |
Hall, 1932 | |||
Florida long-tailed weasel N. f. peninsulae |
Rhoads, 1894 | Equal in size to noveboracensis, but with a skull more similar to that of longicauda. The upper parts are dull chocolate brown, while the underparts are yellowish.[31] | Peninsular Florida | |
N. f. perda | Merriam, 1902 | |||
N. f. perotae | Hall, 1936 | |||
N. f. primulina | Jackson, 1913 | |||
N. f. pulchra | Hall, 1936 | |||
Cascade Mountains long-tailed weasel N. f. saturata |
Merriam, 1896 | Similar to arizonensis, but larger and darker, with an ochraceous belly and distinct spots behind the corners of the mouth[32] | The Cascade Range | |
N. f. spadix | Bangs, 1896 | Similar to longicauda, but much darker[33] | ||
Texas long-tailed weasel N. f. texensis |
Hall, 1936 | |||
Tropical long-tailed weasel N. f. tropicalis |
Merriam, 1896 | Similar to frenata, but much smaller and darker, with less extensive white facial markings and an orange underbelly[34] | The tropical coast belt of southern Mexico and Guatemala from Veracruz southward | frenatus (Coues, 1877) noveboracensis (DeKay, 1840) |
Washington long-tailed weasel N. f. washingtoni |
Merriam, 1896 | Similar to noveboracensis in size, but with a longer tail with a shorter black tip[35] | Washington | |
California long-tailed weasel N. f. xanthogenys |
Gray, 1843 | A medium-sized subspecies with a long tail, a face with whitish markings and ochraceous underparts[30] | The Sonoran and transition faunas of California, on both sides of the Sierra Nevada Mountains |
Cultural meanings
In North America, Native Americans (in the region of Chatham County, North Carolina) deemed the long-tailed weasel to be a bad sign; crossing its path meant a "speedy death".[36]
References
Notes
- . Retrieved 18 February 2022. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
- ^ a b "Species | Accepted: Mustela frenata Lichtenstein, 1831". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ^ British Columbia Ministry of Environment. 8 March 2005. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- S2CID 236299740.
- ^ Macdonald 1992, p. 205
- ^ a b Feldhamer, Thompson & Chapman 2003, p. 651
- ^ a b Merritt & Matinko 1987, p. 280
- ^ a b LONG-TAILED WEASEL (Mustela frenata), Description; Northern State University, Aberdeen, South Dakota
- ^ Schwartz & Schwartz 2001, p. 303
- .
- ^ a b c Merritt & Matinko 1987, p. 282
- ^ Long-tailed Weasel. Esf.edu. Retrieved on 2014-05-10.
- ^ Colby 1963, p. 35
- ^ "Long-tailed Weasel Facts". Washington Nature Mapping Program. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- NHPBS. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ a b Montana Field Guide. "Long-tailed Weasel — Mustela frenata". Montana Natural Heritage Program and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ Colby 1963, p. 33
- ^ OCLC 62265494.
- ^ "Mustela frenata - Vertebrate Collection | UWSP". www3.uwsp.edu. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
- ^ Powell, Roger (1982). "Evolution of Black-Tipped Tails in Weasels: Predator Confusion". The American Naturalist. 119: 26.
- ^ a b Schwartz & Schwartz 2001, pp. 306–307
- ^ Merriam 1896, pp. 26–28
- ^ Merriam 1896, pp. 31–32
- ^ Merriam 1896, p. 24
- ^ Merriam 1896, pp. 22–24
- ^ Merriam 1896, pp. 28–29
- ^ Merriam 1896, pp. 29–30
- ^ Merriam 1896, pp. 20–21
- ^ Merriam 1896, pp. 16–18
- ^ a b Merriam 1896, pp. 25–26
- ^ Merriam 1896, p. 19
- ^ Merriam 1896, pp. 21–22
- ^ Merriam 1896, p. 21
- ^ Merriam 1896, pp. 30–31
- ^ Merriam 1896, pp. 18–19
- ISBN 978-0-8223-0259-9.
Bibliography
- Coues, Elliott (1877). Fur-bearing Animals: A Monograph of North American Mustelidae. Government Printing Office.
- Feldhamer, George A.; Thompson, Bruce Carlyle; Chapman, Joseph A. (2003). Wild mammals of North America: biology, management, and conservation. JHU Press. ISBN 0-8018-7416-5.
- Kurtén, Björn (1980). Pleistocene mammals of North America. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-03733-3.
- Macdonald, David (1992). The Velvet Claw: A Natural History of the Carnivores. New York: Parkwest. ISBN 0-563-20844-9.
- Merriam, Clinton Hart (1896), Synopsis of the weasels of North America, Washington : Govt. Print. Off.
- Merritt, Joseph Anne; Matinko, Ruth F. (1987), Guide to the mammals of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh Press, ISBN 0-8229-5393-5
- Schwartz, Charles Walsh; Schwartz, Elizabeth Reeder (2001), The wild mammals of Missouri, University of Missouri Press, ISBN 0-8262-1359-6
- Colby, Carroll B. (1963), Fur and fury;: The talented weasel family (Mustelidae), Duell, Sloan and Pearce
External links
Media related to Mustela frenata at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Mustela frenata at Wikispecies