Mustelids

Question 1

what was apart of the mustelids family but is not anymore?

Answer 1

skunk (is now mephitids)

Question 2

what is the super family called?

Answer 2

Musteloids

Question 3

what animals are in the ailuridae?

Answer 3

red panda

Question 4

what animals are Procyonids?

Answer 4

racoons, coatis

Question 5

what animals are Mephitids?

Answer 5

Skunks (3 genera, 4 species in North America)
Mephitis, conepatus and Spilogale

Question 6

Name the two main mustelid groups

Answer 6

*Lutra and Enhydra:
River otter(Lutra canadensis)
Sea Otter (enhydra Lutris)

-Mustela (4 species): Weasels (smallest mammal in North America

Question 7

Differences between short tail weasel and Long tail weasel ?

Answer 7

-long tail weasels have a long slender tail
-short tail has a shorter body and bigger nose
-short tail turn white in the winter

Question 8

Differences between sea otter and river otter?

Answer 8

sea otters are 2x the size of river otters
-river otters have a slightly longer tail

Question 9

How do skunks protect themselves?

Answer 9

*they have musk (anal) glands
they project their musk into the preys face

Question 10

what are the mustelids behaviour like?

Answer 10

-Solitary (social), except for otters and European badgers
-Often: playful, intelligent and aggressive hunters

Question 11

Are the mustelids sexually dismorphic?

Answer 11

Yes, males are larger than females

Question 12

why are they sexually dimorphic?

Answer 12

because their sexual behaviour is polygyny (meaning males are absent when the young is growing up) this trait is strongly associated

Question 13

What kind of implantation do mustelids have?

Answer 13

Delayed implantation
(they’ll be pregnant for the whole winter & then the embryo won’t start developing til the spring)

Question 14

Which mustelids have seasonal color change

Answer 14

short tailed weasel (mussel erminea)
turn white in winter

Question 15

What is the mechanism that allows the color change? Explain this

Answer 15

Endocrine mechanism
-hormonal (Melanocyte-stimulating hormone) MSH
-winter= shorter days(less daylight) =supression of melatonin= low levels of MSH, and gonadotropins = white color

Question 16

What are stoats called in English and French?

Answer 16

English: ermine
French: hermine

Question 17

how do weasels change back to a brown color in the spring?

Answer 17

*spring = longer days(more daylight) = suppression of melatonin= increase in MSH and gonadotropins = brown, grey, “blue” or blackish colour