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home >> mustelidae family classification

Kingdom: Animalia
  Phylum: Chordata
    Subphylum: Vertebrata
      Class: Mammalia
        Subclass: Eutheria (placentals)
          Order: Carnivora
            Family: Mustelidae

The domestic ferret is classified as:
subfamily: Mustelinae >> genus: Mustela >> species: putorius >> sub-species: furo (Domestic Ferret)

The domestic ferret's scientific name is "Mustela putorius furo" (see below)

They are thought to be a decendant of "Mustela putorius" (European polecat)

The domestic ferret and the European polecat were first described by Linnaeus in 1758. On page 46 of "Mammalia Ferae," the European polecat is assigned the name Mustela putorius (entry 6), and the ferret is given the name Mustela furo (entry 7). This was first published in "Systema Naturae: Regnum Animale" in 1758. When the chromosomal evidence came in during the late 1970s and early 1980s, it was decided the two were the same species, and because the polecat was named first, the ferret would take that name due to the rules of priority. Because it was a domesticated version of the polecat, it would be given the subspecies name of furo; hence the designation Mustela putorius furo.

sub-family: Lutrinae

genus: Amblonyx

species: Amblonyx cinereus (Asian Clawless Otter)

genus: Aonyx

species: Aonyx capensis (none)

genus: Enhydra

species: Enhydra lutris (Sea Otter)

genus: Londa

species: Lontra canadensis (North American River Otter)

species: Lontra felina (Sea Cat)

species: Lontra longicaudis (Neotropical Otter)

species: Lontra provocax (none)

genus: Lutogale

species: Lutrogale perspicillata (none)

genus: Lutra

species: Lutra canadensis (North American River Otter)

species: Lutra lutra (Eurasian River Otter)

species: Lutra maculicollis (none)

genus: Pteronura

species: Pteronura brasiliensis (South american giant otter / Giant otter)

sub-family: Melinae

genus: Meles

species: Meles meles (Eurasian Badger)

genus: Melogale

species: Melogale moschata (none)

species: Melogale personata (Burmese Ferret Badger)

genus: Mydaus

species: Mydaus javanensis (Indonesian Stink Badger)

sub-family: Mellivorinae

genus: Mellivora

species: Mellivora capensis (Ratel / Honey Badger)

sub-family: Mephitinae

genus: Conepatus

species: Conepatus chinga (Andean Hog-Nosed Skunk)

species: Conepatus leuconotus (Hognose Skunk)

species: Conepatus mesoleucus (none)

genus: Mephitis

species: Mephitis macroura (Hooded Skunk)

species: Mephitis mephitis (Striped Skunk)

genus: Spilogale

species: Spilogale putorius (Eastern Spotted Skunk / Spotted Skunk)

species: Spilogale pygmaea (none)

sub-family: Mustelinae

genus: Eira

species: Eira barbara (Tayra)

genus: Galictis

species: Galictis vittata (Grison)

genus: Gulo

species: Gulo gulo (wolverine (or glutten))

genus: Ictonyx

species: Ictonyx striatus (Zorilla / Striped Polecat)

genus: Martes

species: Martes americana (American Marten / American Pine Marten / American Sable)

species: Martes flavigula (yellow-throated marten (east asia))

species: Martes foina (Stone or Beech Marten)

species: Martes gwatkinsi (yellow-throated marten (south asia))

species: Martes martes (European Pine Marten)

species: Martes pennanti (Fisher)

species: Martes zibellina (Siberian Sable)

genus: Mustela

species: Mustela erminea (Stoat (europe) / Short tailed weasel (N. America) / Ermine)

species: Mustela eversmanni (Steppe polecat)

species: Mustela frenata (Long Tailed Weasel)

species: Mustela kathiah (Yellow-Bellied Weasel)

species: Mustela lutreola (European mink)

species: Mustela lutreola (Mink (in Europe))

species: Mustela nigripes (Black-footed ferret)

species: Mustela nivalis (Weasel (europe) / Least Weasel)

species: Mustela putorius (European polecat)

sub-species: Mustela putorius berberii (Berber polecat)

sub-species: Mustela putorius furo (Domestic ferret)

species: Mustela vison (Mink (in N. America))

genus: Poecilogale

species: Poecilogal albinucha (none)

sub-family: Taxidiinae

genus: Taxidea

species: Taxidea taxus (american badger)

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Western Australian Ferret & Ferreting Society
 www.waffs.org.au

 For more information or to make comments please email mail@waffs.org.au