gulo 433 



than half that of main cusp ; skull robust and heavy ; external 

 form heavy, not in the least cat-like ; feet sub-plantigrade. 



Remarks. — The sub-family Guloninse, consisting of the genus 

 Gulo alone, is well characterized by its peculiarities of skull, 

 teeth and external form. Though usually regarded as a near 

 relative of the Mustelinse, the genus more probably finds its true 

 affinities in the African Mellivora. 



Genus GULO Storr. 



1780. Gulo Storr, Prodr. Meth. Mamm., p. 34. 



1857. Gulo Blasius, Saugethiere Deutscklands, p. 208. 



Type species. — Mustela gulo Linnaeus. 



Geographical distribution. — Northern forests of the Northern 

 Hemisphere ; in Europe confined to Scandinavia and northern 

 Eussia. 



Characters. — Skull heavily built, rather narrow but not so 

 high as in Maries (depth of brain-case slightly more than half 

 mastoid breadth), the dorsal profile strongly curved downward 

 anteriorly, the zygomatic arches not specially widened, and 

 postorbital region not unusually narrowed (distance from point 

 of greatest narrowing to zygoma less than breadth of postorbital 

 constriction) ; rostrum short and very robust, its width about 

 equal to that of interorbital region, the distance from rim of 

 orbit to gnathion about two-thirds length of brain-case ; auditory 

 bulla inflated along inner border, elsewhere rather flat, the meatus 

 forming an ill-defined, gradually narrowing tube, the transverse 

 diameter of bulla greatest ; paroccipital process robust, long, 

 standing out conspicuously behind bulla ; dental formula : 



' 3-3i G l^v P m 3=3' m S = 38 ; teeth relatively lower, wider and 

 more robust than in Mustela (their actual size conspicuously 

 greater) ; small premolars almost directly opposed, not fitting 

 between each other when jaws are shut, and only pm 3 and j?m 4 

 capable of being brought in contact ; lower carnassial with crown 

 wider anteriorly than posteriorly, the metaconid absent, the area 

 of posterior heel only about one-fifth that of cutting portion of 

 crown ; external form short and heavy, almost bear-like, the 

 head moderately pointed, the ears small, nearly concealed by the 

 fur, the tail very short, not so long as head, densely bushy with 

 hairs much longer than itself ; legs short, feet large, digitigrade, 

 the moderately long claws partly retractile ; fur long, soft and 

 dense. 



Remarks. — The genus Gulo is represented by two closely 

 related species, G. luscus of the northern portions of America, 

 and G. gulo of the Old World. 



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