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The least weasel (Mustela nivalis), little weasel, common weasel, or simply weasel is the smallest member of the genus Mustela, family Mustelidae and order Carnivora. It is native to Eurasia , North America and North Africa , and has been introduced to New Zealand , Malta , Crete , the Azores , and São Tomé .
Skulls of a long-tailed weasel (top), a stoat (bottom left) and least weasel (bottom right), as illustrated in Merriam's Synopsis of the Weasels of North America. The long-tailed weasel is the product of a process begun 5–7 million years ago, when northern forests were replaced by open grassland, thus prompting an explosive evolution of small, burrowing rodents.
Least weasels vary in length from 173 to 217 mm (6 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in), [3] females being smaller than the males, and usually have red or brown upper coats and white bellies; some populations of some species moult to a wholly white coat in winter. They have long, slender bodies, which enable them to follow their prey into burrows.
N. f. xanthogenys (California long-tailed weasel) North America, Central America, and northern South America Size : 28–42 cm (11–17 in) long, plus 11–30 cm (4–12 in) tail [ 121 ]
Sthenictis sp. (American Museum of Natural History). Mustelids vary greatly in size and behaviour. The smaller variants of the least weasel can be under 20 cm (8 in) in length, while the giant otter of Amazonian South America can measure up to 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) and sea otters can exceed 45 kg (99 lb) in weight.
Family Mustelidae (otters, weasels and relatives) North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) RI; Least weasel (Mustela nivalis) U; American ermine (Mustela richardsonii) U [11] Long-tailed weasel (Neogale frenata) U; American mink (Neogale vison) U; Fisher (Pekania pennanti) RI; Family Mephitidae (skunks) Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) C
Stoat (left) and least weasel (right) pelts—note the stoat's larger size and black tail-tip. The stoat is similar to the least weasel in general proportions, manner of posture, and movement, though the tail is relatively longer, always exceeding a third of the body length, [clarification needed] [24] though it is shorter than that of the long ...
The American ermine has a body plan typical of weasels. It has short legs, a long body and neck, and a small triangular head with short round ears. It has a brown dorsum with a white venter (except during winter when the coat is fully white) and a short, black-tipped tail. [2]