Badgers

Badgers
European badger ( Meles meles )
Systematics
Superordinate : Laurasiatheria Order : Predators (Carnivora) Subordination : Canine (Caniformia) Superfamily : Marten relatives (Musteloidea) Family : Marten (Mustelidae) Subfamily : Badgers
Scientific name
Melinae
Bonaparte , 1838

The badgers (Melinae) are a group of predators from the family of the marten (Mustelidae), which is led in the rank of a subfamily. The group includes seven species in two genera, of which the European badger is the best known and is the only one in Europe.

features

Badgers are characterized by a compact, wedge-shaped shape. The head is small and pointed with small eyes and ears. The legs are short and strong, and the tail is short. The coat of badgers is grayish or black in color, and all species have characteristic facial markings. The head body length varies between 55 and 90 centimeters and the weight between 4 and 17 kilograms.

distribution

The distribution of badgers is predominantly Palearctic , the only exception being the pig badger , which is also common in the tropical region . Their habitat is primarily forests and other tree-covered areas.

Way of life

Badgers are primarily nocturnal and spend the day in self-dug buildings or other shelters. They usually stay on the ground and rarely climb, but they are very good at digging.

Badgers are omnivores that eat small vertebrates, insects and other animals as well as a wide variety of vegetable foods.

As with other martens, reproduction is characterized by dormancy , so that many months often pass between mating and birth, although the actual gestation period only lasts six to eight weeks. The litter size is usually two to four. A badger can live up to 15 years.

Systematics

The badgers are divided into two genera with seven species:

• Meles
  • European badger ( Meles meles )
  • Asiatic badger ( Meles leucurus )
  • Japanese badger ( Meles anakuma )
  • Transcaucasian badger ( Meles canescens )
• Pig badger ( Arctonyx )
  • Northern pig badger ( Arctonyx albogularis )
  • Pig badger ( Arctonyx collaris )
  • Sumatran pig badger ( Arctonyx hoevenii )

Despite their name, badgers in the real sense do not include:

• the silver badger ( Taxidea taxus )
• the honey badger ( Mellivora capensis )
• the sun badger ( Melogale ), five species
• the stink badger ( Mydaus ), two species

literature

• Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier (Eds.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 1: Carnivores. Lynx Edicions, 2009, ISBN 978-84-96553-49-1 .
• Kristoffer M. Helgen, Norman TL. Lim, Lauren E. Helgen: The hog-badger is not an edentate: systematics and evolution of the genus Arctonyx (Mammalia: Mustelidae) , Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 154, 2008, pp. 353-385.
• Wilson, DE, and DM Reeder: Mammal Species of the World . Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005. ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .

supporting documents

1. ↑ Kristofer M. Helgen, Norman T-Lon Lim, Lauren E. Helgen: The hog-badger is not an edentate: systematics and evolution of the genus Arctonyx (Mammalia: Mustelidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Volume 154, Issue 2, October 2008, Pages 353-385, doi: 10.1111 / j.1096-3642.2008.00416.x

Web links

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