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Cladus: Eukaryota Names Lyncodon patagonicus (de Blainville, 1842) Type locality: Listed in Cabrera (1957) as "cercanías del río Negro." [Argentina]. References * Osteogr. Mamm, pt. 10 (Viverra): 1.
The Patagonian weasel (Lyncodon patagonicus) is a small mustelid that is the only member of the genus Lyncodon.[1] Its geographic range is the deserts of western Argentina and sections of Chile. An early mention of the animal is in the Journal of Syms Covington, who sailed with Charles Darwin on his epic voyage aboard the HMS Beagle.
First described by Blainville, in 1842, in Argentina. Descriptive notes Patagonian weasels are 30-35 cm from head-body, the tail is 6-9 cm and they weigh 200-250 grams. They have long slender bodies, small ears, short legs and a bushy tail. The pelage, or fur, of Patagonian weasels is grayish-white throughout, with a wide band of white fur on the top of their heads. The cheeks, limbs, throat, chin and nape are dark brown. Habitat Patagonian weasels live in herbaceous woodland, shrub steppes and xerophytic woodlands. Patterns of activity Patagonian weasels are reported to be crepuscular and nocturnal. Food and feeding These animals are reported to enter burrows to prey on fossorial rodents and birds. They may be associated with Tuco-tuco communities. Status and conservation The animal has not been thoroughly studied in the wild, and knowledge of its behavioral patterns is unsure. It reportedly has been kept as a working pet by local ranchers to destroy rodents. No information has been published on its current population status or major threats. To learn more about its ecology and conservation status field studies are needed. Sources ^ Wozencraft, W. Christopher (16 November 2005). "Order Carnivora (pp. 532-628)". In Wilson, Don E., and Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols. (2142 pp.). p. 608. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. Kelt, D. & Pardinus, U. (2008). Lyncodon patagonicus. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 6 March 2009. Handbook of the Mammals of the World, Chief editors: Don E. Wilson and Russell A. Mittermeier. Source: Wikipedia, Wikispecies: All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License |
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