>From:    D K SADOWSKI <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Tony, your wolverine post
>
>the Black Footed Ferret belongs to the family of Mustela Nigripes.  It
>is not in the same family of the Domestic Ferret,any of the Weasels,
>Mink, Fisher, Otter, Stote European Polecat, Steppe Polecat,
>Wolverine,Etc.
 
Perhaps there is confusion over terminology, specifically, the
hierarchical nature of taxonomy.  Mustelid classification follows
this hierarchy:
 
Kingdom Animalia ->
Phylum Chordata ->
Subphylum Vertebrata ->
Class Mammalia ->
Order Carnivora ->
Family Mustelidae ->
Subfamily Mustelinae ->
Genus -> Mustela
Species...
Subspecies...
 
Mustela Nigripes (black-footed ferret), Mustela Putorius (european
polecat( & Mustela Putorius Furo (domestic ferret) all belong to the
same FAMILY (Family Mustilidae).  In fact, they even belong to the same
SubFamily (Mustelinae) & same Genus (Mustela).
 
The difference is in Species: Species Nigripes (black-footed ferret) vs
Species Putorius (european polecat).  These species are not genetically
compatible and probably evolved independently.
 
Currently domestic ferrets are classified as a SubSpecies of european
polecats.  The scientific name for domestic ferrets shows this: Mustela
Putorius Furo.  There is debate about moving domestic ferrets to their
own species name: Mustela Furo.
 
<http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/classification/
Mustelinae.html#Mustelinae>
 
"Intelligence is like 4-wheel drive.  It allows you to get stuck in more
'remote' places."
~ Garrison Keillor ~
[Posted in FML issue 5175]