Amazon weasel
The Amazon weasel, also known as the tropical weasel, is a species of New World weasel native to South America. It was first identified from a museum specimen mislabelled as coming from Africa, hence the scientific name.
Taxonomy
Originally described in the genus Mustela, a 2021 study reclassified it into the genus Neogale along with two other former Mustela species, as well as the two species formerly classified in Neovison.Description
The largest of the three species of South American weasel, Amazon weasels measure in total length, including a tail long. They have a typical body form for weasels, with a long, slender, torso and short legs and ears. They have short fur which varies from reddish to dark brown on the upper body, and is pale orange-tan on the underparts. A stripe of fur the same colour as that on the upper body runs down the centre of the chest and throat. The whiskers are short and the soles of the feet almost hairless. Females have three pairs of teats.Distribution and habitat
Amazon weasels are known to inhabit the Amazon basin in north-central Brazil, northern Bolivia and eastern Peru and Ecuador. However, the full extent of their range is unknown, and they probably also inhabit southern Colombia, Venezuela and the Guyanas. The region is covered by tropical rainforest, and, while detailed habitat preferences are unknown, the weasel has mostly been recovered near rivers. The Amazon weasel exhibits a unique scale-dependent pattern of habitat selection, favoring specific microhabitats characterized by varying vegetation density and prey availability, which is crucial for its survival in tropical and subtropical forests.Two subspecies are recognised:N. a. africana
- ''N. a. stolzmanni''