>From:    "David J. Ellis" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Question for any UK readers or those familiar with UK weasels
 
I believe that that North American and European versions of these are about
the same
 
This is a partial list of animals from a web site on Olympic National park...
 
Marten, Martes americana
Fisher, Martes pennanti
Short tailed weasel, Mustela erminea
Long tailed weasel, Mustela frenata
 
This is from a German web site a list of 14 mustella family members...
 
M. altaica (alpine weasel)
M. erminea (Hermelin. stoat or ermine)
M. eversmanni (Steppeniltis)
M. flavigula (yellow-throated marten)
M. frenata (long-tailed weasel)
M. kathiath (yellow-bellied weasel)
M. lutreola (Europ=E4ischer Nerz. European mink)
M. lutreolina (Java weasel. Indonesian mountain weasel)
M. nigripes (Schwarzfu=DFiltis. black-footed ferret)
M. nivalis (Mauswiesel. weasel)
M. putorius furo (Frettchen)
M. nudipes (bare-foot weasel)
M. putorius (Europ=E4ischer Iltis. polecat)
M. rixosa (least weasel or pygmy weasel)
M. sibirica (Siberian weasel)
M. strigidorsa (back-striped weasel)
M. vison (Amerikanischer Nerz. American mink)
 
and of the 8 martes...
 
M. americana (Fichtenmarder. American marten)
M. flavigula (yellow-throated marten)
M. foina (Steinmarder. stone marten)
M. gwatkinsi (south Indian yellow-throated marten)
M. martes (Edelmarder. Baummarder. pine marten)
M. melampus (Japanese marten)
M. pennanti (fisher)
M. zibellina (Zobel. sable)
 
Part of the confusion is that the short tailed weasel is also called the
stoat and also called the ermine in its white winter coat.
 
The name short tailed weasel is the one I grew up with.  Knew it was the
ermine in winter.  Only learned the stoat name relatively recently.
 
I think the pine marten is the only marten I've seen in the wild.  Seen
others in zoos and such though.  The marten was sitting in a pine tree as I
paddled a canoe right past him/her.  Seen both long and short tailed weasels.
 
There are a bunch more mustelids some even called weasels...
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1879]