Unit 8: Mammals - Furbearers (pt 1) Flashcards
Large orange incisors
Broad flat tail

American Beaver
Castor canadensis
Upper - rich brown
lower - grayish
tail–scaly; laterally compressed

Common Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
White muzzle + long whiskers
cynildrical tail

Coypu
Myocaster coypus
Thick, tapering tail
Long, low profile w/ short legs

Northern River Otter
Lontra canadensis
Dark fur; under parts paler, but not cream
Often has white under chin

American Mink
Mustela vison
Pointy, grizzled face
Bushy tail

Fisher
Martes pennanti
Bushy tail
cream colored chest
American Marten
Martes americana
Pale band: shoulder-rump-shoulder
Bear-like

Wolverine
Gulo gulo
White stripe down forehead
big front claws

American Badger
Taxidea taxus
White stripe down nose
Large white V shape on back

Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
Small white spot between eyes
White spots/stripes on back

Eastern Spotted Skunk
Spilogale putorius
Variable back coloring; often has white ‘hood’ on head
Bushy tail

Hooded Skunk
Mephitis macroura
Winter: white
Summer: brown with white belly/toes
All the time: black-tipped tail

Ermine
Mustela erminea
Winter: white
Summer: brown with cream belly
All the time: black-tipped tail

Long-tailed Weasel
Mustela frenata