MUSTELIDAE
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The Mustelidae is a widespread family of carnivorous mammals consisting of
26 genera of 71 living species.
Subfamily divisions: Lutrinae (otters), 7 genera and 13 species, North and
South America, Eurasia and
Africa; Mustelinae (weasels, martens and badgers), 15 genera and 46 species,
North and South America,
Eurasia and Africa; and Mephitinae (skunks; now often referred to a separate
family Mephitidae), 4 genera
and 12 species, North and South America. Absent as a family from the West
Indies, Australasia east of
Wallace's Line, and Madagascar. Introduced forms are now found in the Azores,
Iceland, São Tomé,
on a number of islands in the Japan Archipelago, and throughout New Zealand.
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Copyright 2012 Charles H. Smith. All rights reserved.