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Mustelidae
Weasels, badgers & relatives
1
Number of resurrected species:
Family
Order
Class
Mustelidae
Carnivora
Mammalia
Description
The Mustelidae family contains many extinct and still extant species of Mustelids, like weasels, badgers, otters and many more. A typical Mustelid is fairly small in size and has an elongated body with short legs. They generally live a solitary and nocturnal lifestyle, hunting for prey, like rodents, fish, amphibians, and much more. Mustelids can also live in a wide range of habitats, ranging from tropical rainforests, to deserts to arctic tundra.
Distribution & Fossil evidence
The oldest known Mustelids have been found in North America, dating back to the Eocene and Oligocene. By the Late Oligocene, mustelids had reached Eurasia and from there spread all over the continent and Africa.
Species
The number of Mustelids is huge, reaching over 70 species, both extant as extinct.
Included genera
Aonyx
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