Geographical variability of the coat coloration in the weasel (Mustela nivalis) in Ukraine: taxonomy or climate?

• Main Author: Igor Zagorodniuk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. National Museum of Natural History 2015-12-01
• Series: Праці Теріологічної школи
• Subjects: coat coloration; weasel; Mustela nivalis; variability; taxonomy; Ukraine
• Online Access: http://www.terioshkola.org.ua/library/pts13-research/pts13-42-zag-mustela-nivalis.pdf

There is a significant level of variability of the weasel’s coat coloration in Ukraine. The coloration is continuous from the southern forms of type “vulgaris” (white fur only on the belly and chest with no winter phase) to the northern and eastern forms of group “nivalis” (narrowed brown zone not extended to the legs and lips and expressive white fur coloration in winter). The analysis of distribution of different color phases in space and different seasons suggests the presence of a certain number of transitional forms between these types of coloration. It was found that the variability’s direction conforms to formerly accepted ranges of color phases only in general terms. The color phases have the largest match with biographical (= climatic) zones. The expansion of the range of the southern form (the same as the subspecies nikolskii from the group “vulgaris”) and a significant shift of the limits of its records are shown. The expansion of the southern form’s range is considered as the change of coloration type of the same local forms but not as the distribution of the southern form to north.