The Mustelidae (; from Latin mustela, weasel) are a diverse family of carnivoran mammals, including weasels, badgers, otters, sea otters, polecats, martens, grisons and wolverines. Otherwise known as mustelids (), they form the largest family in the suborder Caniformia of the order Carnivora with between 66 to 70 species in nine subfamilies.
Variety
Mustelids vary greatly in size and behaviour. The smaller variants of the least weasel can be under 20 cm (8 in) in length, while the giant otter of Amazonian South America can measure up to 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) and sea otters can exceed 45 kg (99 lb) 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.
Tayra are also kept as pets (although they require a Dangerous Wild Animals 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.
Mustelidae is one of the oldest and most species-rich families in the order Carnivora. Mustelid-like forms appeared about 40 million years ago (Mya), roughly coinciding with the appearance of rodents. The common ancestor of modern mustelids appeared about 18 Mya.
Characteristics
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.
Mustelids' long, slender body structure is adapted to three main lifestyles: terrestrial; arboreal; and aquatic/semi-aquatic. They exhibit digitigrade or plantigrade...
