Fissiped

Question 1

6 family names

Answer 1

Canidae
Mephitidae
Mustelidae
Procyonidae
Ursidae
Felidae

Question 2

5 species in family canidae (common names)

Answer 2

coyote,grey wolf, red fox, arctic fox, grey fox

Question 3

species in family mephitidae (common names)

Answer 3

striped skunk

Question 4

8 species in family mustelidae (common names)

Answer 4

river otter
wolverine
american mink
least weasel
long-tailed weasel
ermine
american marten
fisher

Question 5

species in family procyonidae (common names)

Answer 5

raccoon

Question 6

species in family ursidae (common names)

Answer 6

american black bear
polar bear

Question 7

3 species in family felidae(common names)

Answer 7

Canada lynx
bobcat
mountain lion/puma

Question 8

General carnivore characteristics

Answer 8

fourth upper premolar and first lower molar,together form an efficient shear (carnassial pair.)

most have 3/3 incisors (except otter)

large conical canines

Question 9

Coyote scientific name

Answer 9

Canis Latrans

Question 10

Canis Latrans ID

Answer 10

Coyote
back foot has 4 digits, front have 5

Question 11

Canis lupus ID

Answer 11

grey wolf

large size, broaded snout and shoter ears from red wolves

tracks in straight line like coyote

Question 12

Vulpes vulpes ID

Answer 12

red fox
dental formula 3/3 1/1 4/4 2/3
tooth row is more than half the skull
5 claws on manus (front feet) 4 claws on pes (hind feet)

Question 13

vulpes lagopus ID

Answer 13

arctic fox
track in a straight line (like red fox)

Question 14

grey wolf scientific name

Answer 14

Canis lupus

Question 15

red fox scientific name

Answer 15

vulpes vulpes

Question 16

arctic fox scientifc name

Answer 16

vulpes lagopus

Question 17

Grey fox scientific name

Answer 17

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Question 18

Urocyon cinereoargenteus ID

Answer 18

grey fox
grizzeled upperparts, buff neck, black tipped tail

temporal ridge makes a U shape
similar tracks to red fox but smaller, and sharper

Question 19

Skunk scientific name

Answer 19

Mephitis mephitis

Question 20

Mephitis mephitis ID

Answer 20

skunk

dental formula is 3/3 1/1 3/3 1/2

The skull is distinct from other carnivores in having only one molar on each side of the upper jaw and two on each side of the lower jaw. The upper molars have a characteristic square shape.

Question 21

North american river otter scientific name

Answer 21

Lontra canadensis

Question 22

Lontra canadensis ID

Answer 22

river otter

can see slide prints in snow
scat has fish/bones in it , flattened irregular shapes

Question 23

wolverine scientific name

Answer 23

Gulo gulo

Question 24

Gulo gulo ID

Answer 24

wolverine

reminiscent of a large marten with a heavy build, large head,
small ears, short tail , massive limbs

track: 5 toes and semi-retractile claws print; small toe often does not print.

Question 25

Mink scientific name

Answer 25

Mustela vison

Question 26

Mustela vison ID

Answer 26

Mink

dark brown with white patches on the
chin, chest, and throat areas.
webbed toes

Question 27

least weasel scientific name

Answer 27

Mustela nivalis

Question 28

Mustela nivalis ID

Answer 28

least weasel

long neck; a flat, narrow head; and short limbs. This
animal has large black eyes and large, round ears. The
feet have five fingers with sharp claws.

fur colour is chocolate brown
on the back, and white with brown spots on the
underparts.

in winter can be all white

Hindprint about 10mm long, only 4 toes printing. Straddle 30-45 mm; leaps occasionally 600 mm. tail marks seen in snow often

Question 29

Long tailed weasel scientific name

Answer 29

Mustela frenata

Question 30

Mustela frenata ID

Answer 30

Long tailed weasel

have long, bushy tails that are about 50% of their total body length.

a small, narrow head with long whiskers. They also have short legs.

coat in northern populations is white in the winter and brown in the summer

track: usually with only 4 of 5 toes printing. Foreprints slightly wider than hindprints, but approximately half as long. Hindfeet usually placed in or near foreprints, but sometimes side by side, or with one
slightly ahead.

Question 31

Ermine scientific name

Answer 31

Mustela erminea

Question 32

Mustela erminea ID

Answer 32

ermine
typical weasel form,
fine fur is white in the winter and the tip of the tail is black. In the summer, the dorsal fur is chocolate
brown while the
ventral fur extending
to the upper lip is
yellowish white.

Tracks showing only 4 of the 5 toes, Foreprints slightly wider than hindprints, but approximately half as long. Hindfeet usually placed in or near foreprints, but sometimes side by side, or
with 1 slightly ahead.

Question 33

Marten scientific name

Answer 33

Martes americana

Question 34

Martes americana ID

Answer 34

Marten

tail are very dark brown or black, the chest has a cream coloured patch, and the back is light brown.

track: Typical mustelid trail of twin prints, like that of Mink but slightly larger; very difficult to differentiate from Fisher’s

Question 35

fisher scientific name

Answer 35

Martes pennanti

Question 36

Martes pennanti ID

Answer 36

fisher

coats range from medium to dark brown, with gold to silver hoariness on their head and shoulders, and with black legs and tail. They may also have a cream chest patch of variable size and shape

Fishers have five toes on their
feet, and their claws are
retractable.

TRACK: Similar to Mink’s and American Marten’s but larger. prints wider than long

Question 37

raccoon scientific name

Answer 37

Procyon lotor

Question 38

Procyon lotor ID

Answer 38

raccoon

Hindprint much longer than wide; resembles a miniature human footprint with abnormally long toes. Foreprint shorter,
claws show on all 5 toes. Tracks are relatively large for animal’s size because Common Raccoon is flat-footed
When walking, animal’s left hindfoot print is almost beside right
forefoot.
When running, brings hindfeet down ahead of forefeet in a pattern similar to that of squirrel tracks.

Question 39

Black bear scientific name

Answer 39

Ursus americanus

Question 40

Ursus americanus ID

Answer 40

Black bear

Broad footprints; 5 toes print on all feet,
although innermost, smallest toe may fail to register.

d, claw indentations usually visible just in front of toe marks. Bears have a shuffling gait; hind tracks and front tracks are paired, with hind track several inches before front track on same side.

Question 41

Polar bear scientific name

Answer 41

Ursus maritimus

Question 42

Ursus maritimus ID

Answer 42

polar bear

Large, hindfoot human like but more “flatfooted”, forefoot print resembles front portion of human footprint, impression of heel pad of forefoot only registers in mud and soft sand. Entire print, particularly small toe and heel pad are obscure due to presence of heavy fur.

often on ice

Question 43

Lynx scientific name

Answer 43

Lynx canadensis

Question 44

Lynx canadensis ID

Answer 44

Lynx

The tail is quite short and is often ringed and tipped with black

triangular ears are tipped with tufts of long black hairs. The paws are quite large and furry,

Foreprint 75–110 mm long, almost as wide; hindprint slightly smaller; both with 4 toes,
no claws showing.

larger and rounder track than bobcat

Question 45

bobcat scientific id

Answer 45

Lynx rufus

Question 46

Lynx rufus ID

Answer 46

bobcat

dark brown or black stripes and spots on some parts of the body. The tip of the tail and the backs of the ears are black.

Foreprints and hindprints about same size, , slightly longer than wide, with 4 toes, no claw marks.

If clearly outlined, heel pad can be distinguished from canine print: domestic dog’s or Coyote’s is lobed only at rear; Bobcat’s is lobed at rear
Trail very narrow, sometimes as if made by a 2-legged animal, because hindprints are set on, close to, or overlapping foreprints

Question 47

Mountain lion scientific name

Answer 47

Puma concolor

Question 48

Puma concolor ID

Answer 48

puma/mountain lion

yellowish brown to greyish brown on the upper parts and a paler, almost buffy, colour on the belly. The throat and chest are whitish. Mountain lions have a pinkish nose with a black border that extends to the lips

skull is noticeably broad
and short.
The forehead region is high and arched.
The rostrum and the nasal bones are broad.
The dental formula is 3/3 1/1 3/2 1/1.
The mandible is short, deep, and powerfully
constructed.
The carnassial teeth are massive and long.
The canines are heavy
and compressed.
The incisors are small and straight.
Mountain lions have an
additional small premolar on each side of the upper jaw than do bobcats and
lynx.

Prints quite round, usually with all 4 lower toes showing but no claw marks, as
claws are retracted.
Tracks usually in a fairly straight line, staggered in pairs, with hindfoot track close to or overlapping forefoot track

Question 49

how to identifcy canine track

Answer 49

A Claw marks- dogs usually show claw marks in their tracks.
However, it is possible to see claw marks in cat tracks, usually when
they are running or pouncing.
B The lack of a third lobe on the hind edge of the heel pad (compare
with the cat track below). Although it is visible in some dog tracks, the third lobe is located higher and not aligned with the other two as it is in cats.
C The shape of the leading edge of the heel pad is a single lobe.
D The alignment of the two front toes. They are side-by-side, or close to it. Exceptions occur when
a canine is turning or travelling on a slope.
E The pads of the outer two toes are almost triangular in shape.

Question 50

How to identify feline tracks

Answer 50

A Front two toes are not lined side-by-side. The toe positioned further forward is analogous to a human index finger. The alignment of toe
“A” will tell you whether this is a left or right paw.
B The leading edge of the heel pad has two lobes.
C The hind edge of the heel pad has three aligned lobes.
D The straight edge of the heel pad indicates this as a front paw.