Weasel

Long Swan Zwiesel (Mustela frenata )

Mustela is a genus of the marten family ( Mustelidae ) and include the types that are commonly referred to as weasels, polecats and mink. The internal classification of this kind is, however, somewhat complicated, so that the general language does not match the actual relationships. The genus includes 17 species in four subgenera:

• Subgenus South American weasels ( Grammogale ) Tropical Weasel (Mustela africana)
• Colombian weasel (Mustela felipei )

• Ermine ( Mustela erminea )
• Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis)
• Long Swan Zwiesel (Mustela frenata )
• Altai weasel (Mustela altaica)
• Yellow-bellied weasel (Mustela kathiah )

• European mink (Mustela lutreola )
• Fire weasel (Mustela sibirica )
• Egyptian weasel (Mustela subpalmata )
• Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi )
• Back strip weasel (Mustela strigidorsa )
• Nacktfußwiesel (Mustela nudipes )
• Indonesian mountain weasel (Mustela lutreolina )

• European polecat (Mustela putorius )
• Steppe polecat (Mustela eversmannii )
• Schwarzfußiltis (Mustela nigripes )

The American mink and the extinct Seenerz are often also classified in the genus Mustela. According to recent findings, however, they are not closely related to them and are therefore example of Wilson & Reeder (2005), performed in a separate genus, Neovison.