Name
Mustela nivalis
least weasel
Framing
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Caniformia
Family: Mustelidae
Genus: Mustela
Species: nivalis
Habitat
Terrestrial, in a wide variety of habitats, from open areas to forests, including cultivated areas
Feeding
Carnivore
Distribution
Holarctic. In the Iberian Peninsula widely distributed and introduced in the Balearic Islands.
Conservation status
Least Concern (LC) globally (IUCN, 2019). Similar situation in Spain
Additional information
Very small size, especially in the case of the female. Colouring light brown dorsally and white ventrally. Short tail of homogeneous colouring, without black tip.
Additional information
Bibliography
- Camps, D., & Palazón, S. (2016). La comadreja. En El libro de los Carnívoros (pp. 103-115). Lozano, J., & Lacasa, M. (Eds). Editorial Photodigiscoping.
- Gisbert, J., % Santos-Reis, M. (2007). Mustela nivalis Linnaeus, 1766. En Atlas y Libro Rojo de los Mamíferos terrestres de España (pp. 283-286). Palomo, L. J., Gisbert, J., & Blanco, J. C. (eds). Dirección General de Biodiversidad – SECEM-SECEMU. Accesible en: https://www.miteco.gob.es/es/biodiversidad/temas/inventarios-nacionales/ieet_mami_mustela_nivalis_tcm30-99836.pdf
- King, C. M., Powell, R. A., & Powell, C. (2006). The Natural History of Weasels and Stoats Ecology, Behavior, and Management. 2nd Ed. Oxford University Press. Disponible en biblioteca UGR