Mustela felipei

Geographic Range

Mustela felipei has been observed from western Colombia (provinces of Huila and Cauca) to northern Ecuador. The species was thought to be endemic to the Cordillera Central of Colombia until another specimen was found in Andean Ecuador. Within this potential distribution there are 34 protected areas (20 in Colombia and 14 in Ecuador). There are three confirmed localities for the species in each for Colombia and Ecuador; all lie within 1,123 to 2,700 m elevation.

Mustela felipei occurs in Colombia from Serrania de los Paraguas in the limits between the Chocó and Valle del Cauca departments (4°51′N, 76°25′W) through the Northern Andes of Ecuador in Mera in the province of Pastaza (1°27′S, 78°05′W; Schreiber et al., 1989; Wozencraft, 2005). According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, there are likely to be serious threats to the protection of this species and they proposed several core regions to protect to ensure its survival. The IUCN currently recognizes the species as vulnerable at a B2ab level (ii, iii, iv, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2013).

• Biogeographic Regions
• neotropical neotropical
  • native native

Habitat

Colombian weasels are very rare, and very little is known about them. They are found in riparian areas, near rivers and along the banks of other natural water sources. Only six localities have been confirmed in Colombia and Ecuador. The few specimens that have been obtained were collected from altitudes ranging between 1,750 and 2,700 m where cloud forests predominate. One specimen was collected in the upper Suaza river valley (Cueva de los Guacharos National Park). This part of the Suaza river contains a mixture of violent currents and quiet pools.

• Habitat Regions
• tropical tropical
• terrestrial terrestrial

• Other Habitat Features
• riparian riparian

Physical Description

Adult specimens have averaged 22 cm (8.7 in) in length, not counting the 11.5 cm (4.5 in) tail, and weighed 120 to 150 g (4.2 to 5.3 oz). Colombian weasels are the second smallest living carnivore, being only slightly larger than least weasels ( Mustela nivalis ) and slightly smaller than ermines ( Mustela erminea ). Colombian weasels have an elongated body with short legs and a short rostrum, as typified by weasels, ferrets, mink, and otters . The upperparts and tail are blackish-brown, the underparts are orange-buff, and the fur is quite long. Little else is known about its physical appearance, though research indicates it has webbed feet to help provide stability in semi-aquatic habitats.

• Other Physical Features
• endothermic endothermic
• homoiothermic
• bilateral symmetry bilateral symmetry

• Sexual Dimorphism
• male larger

Reproduction

There have been no reports of mating systems in Colombian weasels. In the related and well-studied species, Mustela frenata , there is a monogamous pair bond, the male is attentive to the female - especially during weaning - and watches the young while she hunts for herself. Both parents take care of the offspring for two to three months. However, in other species of weasels , males compete for access to mating with multiple females and do not participate in the care of young.

• Mating System
• monogamous monogamous

There have been no studies of reproduction in Colombian weasels. However, in temperate weasel species, fertilized eggs develop for approximately eight days before suspending development for 7.5 months. After this time, the embryos resume development, and 6 to 8 young are born 24 days later. All together, the gestation period lasts 200 to 300 days. Newborn Colombian weasels are blind and hairless. They measure approximately 55 mm in length and weigh up to 2 g each. They quickly develop a soft fur, which is replaced by adult fur after 3 weeks. By week 5, their teeth have come in. Their eyes open by 6 weeks of age, at which point weaning begins.

• Key Reproductive Features
• iteroparous iteroparous
• gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
• sexual sexual
• viviparous viviparous

Female Colombian weasels nurture their newborn young and take care of them for 2 to 3 months. In other, weasel species, sometimes males help care for young and sometimes they are uninvolved.

• Parental Investment
• altricial altricial
• female parental care female parental care
• pre-fertilization
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-hatching/birth
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-weaning/fledging
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female

Lifespan/Longevity

Mustela felipei usually lives for 1 to 6 years.

Behavior

Because this species is known from so few specimens and has not been observed in the wild, there is very little known about Colombian weasel behavior. Like other weasels , they are likely to be mainly solitary and sedentary.

• Key Behaviors
• terricolous
• motile motile
• sedentary sedentary
• solitary solitary

Home Range

Home range sizes of Colombian weasels are unknown.

Communication and Perception

Colombian weasels communicate with vocalizations, vision, touch, and probably with scent cues. Individuals of this species stand on their hind legs to search for others and emit a high-pitched sound to alert relatives in times of danger.

• Communication Channels
• visual visual
• acoustic acoustic
• chemical chemical

• Perception Channels
• visual visual
• tactile tactile
• acoustic acoustic
• chemical chemical

Food Habits

Colombian weasels are carnivorous, like their weasel cousins. Because of their webbed feet and occurrence in riparian habitats, they are assumed to eat fish and other aquatic organisms, in addition to terrestrial small mammals and insects.

• Primary Diet
• carnivore carnivore
  • eats terrestrial vertebrates
  • piscivore piscivore
  • insectivore insectivore

• Animal Foods
• birds
• mammals
• amphibians
• reptiles
• fish
• insects
• terrestrial non-insect arthropods

Predation

Little is known about predation on or anti-predator adaptations in this species. However, their coloration likely helps them blend in with the environment.

• Anti-predator Adaptations
• cryptic cryptic

Ecosystem Roles

Colombian weasels are likely to be important predators of small animals in the riparian habitats they occupy. Little is know of mutualisms or parasitisms in this species.

• Ecosystem Impact
• creates habitat

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

Colombian weasels may help humans by controlling rodent and insect pest populations in the areas they occupy. Their skins are also used for coats and other clothing products.

• Positive Impacts
• body parts are source of valuable material
• controls pest population

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

Colombian weasels are not known to have any negative impact on humans.

Conservation Status

Colombian weasels are recognized as vulnerable with a decreasing population trend by the IUCN. Very little is known about their life history and population status, but their rarity and the fact that many of the areas they are thought to inhabit have been severely impacted by deforestation suggests that populations are threatened.

Other Comments

The scientific name Mustela felipei honors the mammalogist Philip "Don Felipe" Hershkovitz.

Additional Links

Encyclopedia of Life

Contributors

Kirsten Wesner (author), University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, Christopher Yahnke (editor), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Tanya Dewey (editor), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Shaina Stewart (editor), University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.

References

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