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Badgers
Badgers are medium-sized short-legged omnivores in the superfamily Musteloidea. Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united by their squat bodies and adaptions for fossorial activity rather than by their ancestral relationships: Musteloidea contains several families, only two of which (the "weasel family" Mustelidae and the "skunk family" Mephitidae) include badgers; moreover, both of these families also include various other animals that are not badgers. The fifteen species of mustelid badgers are grouped in four subfamilies: four species of Melinae (genera ''Meles'' and ''Arctonyx'') including the European badger, five species of Helictidinae (genus ''Melogale'') or ferret-badger, the honey badger or ratel Mellivorinae (genus ''Mellivora''), and the American badger Taxideinae (genus ''Taxidea''). Badgers include the most basal mustelids; the American badger is the most basal of all, followed successively by the ratel and the Melinae ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
European Badger
The European badger (''Meles meles''), also known as the Eurasian badger, is a badger species in the family Mustelidae native to Europe and West Asia and parts of Central Asia. It is classified as least concern on the IUCN Red List, as it has a wide range and a large, stable population size which is thought to be increasing in some regions. Several subspecies are recognized, with the nominate subspecies (''M. m. meles'') predominating in most of Europe. In Europe, where no other badger species commonly occurs, it is generally just called the "badger". The European badger is a powerfully built, black, white, brown, and grey animal with a small head, a stocky body, small black eyes, and a short tail. Its weight varies, being in spring, but building up to in autumn before the winter sleep period. It is nocturnal and is a social, burrowing animal that sleeps during the day in one of several setts in its territorial range. These burrows have multiple chambers and entrances, and are ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Honey Badger
The honey badger (''Mellivora capensis''), also known as the ratel ( or ), is a mammal widely distributed across Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. It is the only living species in both the genus ''Mellivora'' and the subfamily Mellivorinae. It has a fairly long body, with a distinctly thick-set and broad back, and remarkably loose skin, allowing the badger to turn and twist freely within it. The largest terrestrial mustelid in Africa, the honey badger measures long and weighs up to . Sexual dimorphism has been recorded in this species, with males being larger and heavier than females. There are two pairs of mammae, and an anal pouch which, unusual among mustelids, is eversible, a trait shared with hyenas and mongooses. The honey badger is a solitary animal that can be active at any time of day, depending on the location. It is primarily a carnivorous species and has few natural predators because of its thick skin, strength and ferocious defensive abiliti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japanese Badger
The Japanese badger (''Meles anakuma'') is a species of carnivoran of the family Mustelidae, the weasels and their kin. Endemic to Japan, it is found on Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, and Shōdoshima. It shares the genus '' Meles'' with its close relatives, the European (''M. meles''), Caucasian (''M. canescens'') and Asian (''M. leucurus'') badgers. In Japan, it is called by the name ''anaguma'' (穴熊) meaning "hole-bear", or ''mujina'' (むじな, 狢). Description Japanese badgers are generally smaller (average length in males, in females) and less sexually dimorphic (except in the size of the canine teeth) than their European counterparts. Tail length is between . This species is similar or mildly larger than the Asian badger. Adults usually weigh from . The average weight of female Japanese badgers in one study from the Tokyo area was found to be while that of males was . In Yamaguchi Prefecture, the average spring weight of female and male Japanese badgers was and . T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asian Badger
The Asian badger (''Meles leucurus''), also known as the sand badger, is a species of badger native to Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Korean Peninsula and Russia. Characteristics The Asian badger is mostly lighter in colour than the European badger, though some forms may closely approach the former in colour, if not darker, with smudges of ocherous and brownish highlights. The flanks are lighter than the middle of the back, and the facial stripes are usually brown rather than black. The facial stripes narrow behind the eyes and extend above the ears. The white parts of the head are usually dirtier in colour than those of the European badger. The light stripe passing along the top of the head between the two stripes is relatively short and narrow. The Asian badger is generally smaller than the European badger and has relatively longer upper molars. It appears to be the smallest of the three '' Meles'' badgers despite regional size variations, with the largest-bodied ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Melogale
Ferret-badgers are the six species of the genus ''Melogale'', which is the only genus of the monotypic mustelid subfamily Helictidinae. * Bornean ferret-badger The Bornean ferret badger (''Melogale everetti''), also known as Everett's ferret badger or the Kinabalu ferret badger, is a small, nocturnal and omnivorous mammal that is endemic to the island of Borneo. It is a member of the Mustelidae and one ... (''Melogale everetti'') * Chinese ferret-badger (''Melogale moschata'') * Formosan ferret-badger (''Melogale subaurantiaca'') * Javan ferret-badger (''Melogale orientalis'') * Burmese ferret-badger (''Melogale personata'') * Vietnam ferret-badger (''Melogale cucphuongensis'') Human impact The ferret-badger's impact on humans is through the spread of rabies. This has been documented in Taiwan and China but lack of prior documentation and research on ferret-badgers has proven a roadblock. References Badgers Mammals of Southeast Asia Taxa named by Isidore ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arctonyx
Hog badgers are three species of mustelid in the genus ''Arctonyx''. They represent one of the two genera in the subfamily Melinae, alongside the true badgers (genus ''Meles''). Taxonomy ''Arctonyx'' was formerly considered a monotypic genus containing one species, '' A. collaris'', but a 2008 study found it to comprise 3 distinct species, a finding later followed by the American Society of Mammalogists. Species Three species are known: Conservation The IUCN considers the greater hog badger (''A. collaris''), the northern hog badger (''A. albogularis'') and the Sumatran hog badger (''A. hoevenii'') as three separate species. The greater hog badger is listed as a Vulnerable species. The other two are listed as Least Concern A least-concern species is a species that has been evaluated and categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as not being a focus of wildlife conservation because the specific species is still plentiful in the wil .. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Meles (genus)
''Meles'' is a genus of badgers containing four living species known as Eurasian badgers, the Japanese badger (''Meles anakuma''), Asian badger (''Meles leucurus''), Caucasian badger (''Meles canescens'') and European badger (''Meles meles''). In an older categorization, they were seen as a single species with three subspecies (''Meles meles anakuma'', ''Meles meles leucurus'' and ''Meles meles meles''). There are also several Extinction, extinct members of the genus. They are members of the subfamily Melinae of the weasel family, Mustelidae. Taxonomy The genus ''Meles'' was erected by French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1762 after Carl Linnaeus had Species description, described the Eurasian badger ''Meles meles'' in 1758. This animal had a very extensive range over most of temperate Europe and Asia and there has been much discussion as to whether it is a single or three distinct species. There are geographical differences between individuals from different parts of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mellivora
''Mellivora'' is a genus of mustelids that contains the honey badger or ratel ''(Mellivora capensis)''. It is also the sole living representative of the subfamily Mellivorinae. Additionally, two extinct species are known. The honey badger is native to much of Africa and South Asia, while fossil relatives occurred in those areas and Southern Europe. Taxonomy The genus ''Mellivora'' probably evolved from the more primitive ''Promellivora punjabiensis'' of India (which itself was formerly classified as ''M. punjabiensis''). The two genera are grouped together in the tribe Eomellivorini together with the extinct giant mustelids ''Eomellivora'' and ''Ekorus''. ''Mellivora benfieldi'' is considered a likely ancestor of the living honey badger. References {{Taxonbar, from=Q13564654 Carnivoran genera Mammal genera with one living species Badgers Taxa named by Gottlieb Conrad Christian Storr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chamitataxus
''Chamitataxus'' is a prehistoric badger genus. ''Chamitataxus avitus'' is the only known species of the genus. ''Chamitataxus'' lived during the Late Miocene, around 6 million years ago in what is now North America. Out of the three taxideine badger genera to have existed on the continent, ''Chamitataxus'' is the most primitive. Very few taxideine badger remains have been uncovered to date, with only prehistoric '' Taxidea'' and '' Pliotaxidea'' specimens being discovered prior to the ''Chamitataxus'' holotype being found. Description ''Chamitataxus'' is known only from a single holotype found in 1935, which consists of a nearly complete skull. The holotype was discovered in a quarry not far from Lyden, New Mexico, where the prehistoric herbivore '' Osbornoceros'' was also discovered. ''Chamitataxus'' was named after the rock formation it was discovered in, the Chamita Formation. Due to the relative lack of ''Chamitataxus'' specimens, much of the research into the genus is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bornean Ferret-badger
The Bornean ferret badger (''Melogale everetti''), also known as Everett's ferret badger or the Kinabalu ferret badger, is a small, nocturnal and omnivorous mammal that is endemic to the island of Borneo. It is a member of the Mustelidae and one of six species of the genus '' Melogale''. It is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List due to its small distribution range, which includes Kinabalu National Park and Crocker Range National Park. Bornean ferret badgers weigh up to and reach a maximum recorded body length of . They forage on the ground for invertebrates, amphibians, insects, fruit and carrion. The overall population trend of the Bornean ferret badger is "assumed to be in at least shallow decrease". Taxonomy ''Melogale everetti'' was the scientific name first used by the British zoologist Oldfield Thomas in 1895 to describe the Bornean ferret badger. The scientific name commemorates Alfred Hart Everett. The Bornean ferret badger has historically been considered by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
