MUSTELID

any member of the family Mustelidae, fur-bearing carnivores including the weasels, skunks, badgers, and others (about 25 existing genera with about 70 species, and 47 to 73 extinct genera), characteristically possessing well-developed anal scent glands. Mustelids evolved from North American and Eurasian forms in the early Oligocene and inhabit terrestrial and aquatic regions throughout the world, except Australia and most ocean islands. Their limbs are short in relation to their usually long bodies of variable size (females are generally smaller than males). Many species are trapped or raised commercially for their pelts. For more information on species and groups of mustelids, see badger; ermine; ferret; fisher; grison; marten; mink; otter; polecat; ratel; sable; skunk; stoat; tayra; weasel; wolverine; zorille.