Mustela eversmanii Linnaeus 1758
42. Steppe Polecat Mustela eversmanii French: Putois d'Eversmann / German: Steppeniltis / Spanish: Turon estepario Taxonomy. Mustela eversmanii Lesson, 1827, Russia. The Steppe Polecat was considered conspecific with either M. putorius or M. nigripes by some authors. Up to nineteen subspecies h...
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| Format: | Other/Unknown Material |
| Language: | unknown |
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Lynx Edicions
2009
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5714143 http://treatment.plazi.org/id/038F87D4CA4FFFA0CAD136E3F6A4F9E1 |
| Summary: | 42. Steppe Polecat Mustela eversmanii French: Putois d'Eversmann / German: Steppeniltis / Spanish: Turon estepario Taxonomy. Mustela eversmanii Lesson, 1827, Russia. The Steppe Polecat was considered conspecific with either M. putorius or M. nigripes by some authors. Up to nineteen subspecies have been proposed, but a taxonomic revision is needed. Distribution. SE Europe, Caucasus, and Middle East through C Asia to NE China, Mongolia, and Russian Far East Descriptive notes. Head-body 37-56.2 cm (males), 29-52 cm (females); tail 8-18.3 cm (males), 7-18 cm (females); weight 2:05 kg (males), 1-35 kg (females), adult males are larger than females. The Steppe Polecat closely resembles the European Polecat. The pelage is highly variable in color, but generally is yellowish-white to brown, with the upperparts darker than the undersides. The fur on the chest, limbs, and tail is darker in color, and there is a dark mask on the whitish face. Habitat. Steppe, open grasslands, and semi-desert. Food and Feeding. The diet includes rodents (voles, hamsters, marmots), other small mammals (pikas, ground squirrels), birds, eggs, reptiles, and insects. In Hungary, the principle food consists of small mammals; their frequency fluctuates between 54% and 93%, reaching a maximum in summer. In all seasons, the most important prey is the Common Vole (Microtus arvalis) and the Common Hamster (Cricetus cricetus); in addition, the European Souslik (Spermophilus citellus) is occasionally consumed in spring and autumn, and Brown Rats (Rattus norvegicus) may be eaten in autumn. The European Hare is eaten only in winter (5%). The consumption of birds (mainly Passerines) is considerable in spring (38%) and autumn (29%). A stable isotope study revealed a diet that comprised 27% small mammals (Plateau Pika, Root Vole, and Plateau Zokor) and 47-7% adult passerine birds, with hatchlings contributing 25:6%. Steppe Polecats hunt by exploring the burrows of their mammalian prey and thus they may spend much time underground. Activity patterns. ... |
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