Cranial Variation in the Siberian Weasel Mustela sibirica (Carnivora, Mustelidae) and its Possible Taxonomic Implications.

ABSTRACT: Alexei V. Abramov, Andrey Yu. Puzachenko, and Ryuichi Masuda (2018) Morphometric variation in 23 cranial characters of 555 Siberian weasels (Mustela sibirica) was studied across its whole distribution range. Most of the distribution range in Siberia and China is occupied by medium-sized weasels, whereas the eastern part of the species range - including the Russian Far East, Korea and eastern China - is occupied by the larger form. Specimens from the Pacific islands (Jeju and Tsushima) were morphologically closely related to the western form of M. sibirica than to the neighboring continental weasels. The western form can be treated as nominotypical subspecies M. s. sibirica Pallas, 1773, whereas the eastern form can be treated as M. s. manchurica Brass, 19

SUBMITTER: Abramov AV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6517764 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature