292 VERTEBRATE ANIMALS OF THE UNITED STATES 



Subspecies of T. taxus 



T. t. taxus (Schreber). Western America. 



T. t. berlandieri Baird. A white middorsal stripe from nose to tail: 

 western Texas and westward. 



T. t. neglecta Mearns. Size smaller: California. 



Subfamily 4, Lutrinae. — Otters. Body mostly elongate; legs short; 

 head broad behind, with a sharp snout; ears small and round; toes 

 webbed; tail long, broad and flattened; fur short and dense: 2 genera. 



Key to the Genera of Lutrinae 



ai Body elongate; river otters i. Lutra. 



a2 Body rather stout; sea otters 2. Latax. 



1. Lutra Brisson. With the characters of the subfamily; dentition 

 3/3, i/i, 4/3, 1/2: many species, cosmopohtan; i species in the United 

 States. 



L. canadensis (Schreber). American otter. Color seal brown, 

 grayish beneath; under surface of webs of toes densely hairy; length 

 1,100 mm.; tail 420 mm.; hind foot 120 mm.: North America from the 

 Atlantic to the Pacific; northward to the tree Hne; aquatic animals, 

 living along streams and lakes and eating fish. The animal's den is in 

 the side of the bank with its opening often below the water; the number 

 of young annually raised is from i to 5. 



Subspecies of L. canadensis 



L. c. canadensis (Schreber). Eastern North America north of 

 North Carolina. 



L. c. lataxina F. Cuvier. Upper surface yellowish brown: south- 

 eastern and Gulf States from North Carohna to Mississippi. 



L. c. vaga Bangs. Darker and redder: Gulf coast from Florida to 

 Louisiana. 



L. c. pacifica Rhoads. Size large; color lighter: Pacific slope from 

 CaHfornia to Alaska. 



L. c. sonora Rhoads. Size very large; length 1,300 mm. : Wyoming to 

 Arizona and Mexico. 



L. degener Bangs. Color blackish; length 995 mm. : Newfoundland. 



2. Latax Gloger. Sea otters. Body elongate but stout; tail rather 

 short; hind feet short and very large; dentition 3/2, i/i, 3/3, 1/2: 

 I species. 



L. lutris (L.). Sea-otter. Color deep glossy brownish black; length 

 1,500 mm.; tail 300; muzzle beset with bristles: shores of the Pacific 



