130 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



GENERA OF MUSTEL.IDAE 



Toes conspicuously webbed ; the whole animal highly modified 



for an aquatic life (otters) ■. Lutra, p. 130 



Toes Eot conspicuously webbed; animal not specially modified 

 for an aquatic life 

 Teeth 38 



Body stout; part of sole applied to ground in walking 



(wolverine) Gulo, p. 131 



Body slender; only the toes applied to ground in 



walking (martins and fishers) Mustela, p. 132 



. Teeth 34 



Tail closely furred ; claws short (weasels) Putorins, p. 133 



Tail bushy ; claws long (skunk). Mephitis, p. 136 



Genus Lutra Brisson 

 1756 Lutra Brisson, Regnum animale in classes 9 distributum. Type 

 Mustela lutra Linnaeus. 

 Teeth 36; feet short and rounded; toes webbed; claws small, curved, blunt; 

 head broad, fiat; tail thick at base, tapering ; fur short and dense. (Lutra; 

 Lat., an otter) 



The genus Lutra is distributed throughout the greater part of the 

 world, north to the limit of tree growth. It is not found in the Austral- 

 ian region. A dozen or more species are known, two of which occur 

 in eastern North America. 



SPECIES OF LUTRA 



Total length about 1100 (43|) ; skull about 105 (4i) L. hudsonica 



Total length about 995 (39J) ; skull about 95 (3f) L. degener 



Lutra hudsonica (Desmarest) North American otter 



Size large; total length about 1100 (43|) ; greatest length of skull about 

 105(4^). (hudsonica; N. Lat., Hudsonian) 



The North American otter inhabits marshes, lakes and watercourses 

 throughout the continent of North America from the extreme north at 

 least to the southern boundary of the United States. It is divisible into 

 four or more subspecies, two of which occur within our limits. 



SUBSPECIES OF LUTRA HUDSONICA 



General color dark; webs between toes densely 



haired below L. hudsonica hudsonica 



General color light; webs between toes sparsely 



haired below L. hudsonica lataxina 



Lutra hudsonica hudsonica (Desmarest) Northeastern otter 



1803 Mustela hudsonica Desmarest, Nouv. diet, d'hist. nat. 13:384. 



(Eastern Canada) 

 1831 Lutra hudsonica F. Cuvier, Suppl. Oeuvres de Buffon. 1 : 194. 

 1898 Lutra hudsonica Rhoads, Trans. Am. philos. soc. n. s. Oct. 1898. 



20:424. 



