Family Canidae • 13 Genera, 35 species • Digitigrade, non-

retractable claws • Well-developed

carnassials, crushing molars

• Fossils date to Oligocene and Miocene

Family Canidae Genus: Canis • Wolves, coyotes, jackals,

domestic dogs • Size range: 7-40 kg • Territorial; communicate via

scent marking and howling • ~10 year life span

Family Canidae Genus: Vulpes • Smaller than Canis sp.

(5-8 kg) • Omnivorous; cache

food • 2-4 young/year • Lifespan ~5 years

Family Canidae Genus: Urocyon • U-shaped temporal

ridges • Males slightly larger than

females • Can climb trees • Mostly solitary, but

monogamous • 1-7 young/year

Family Ursidae Genus: Ursus • 5 Genera, 8 species • Delayed implantation • Mostly omnivorous (except

U. maritimus) • Occur everywhere but

Antarctica and Australia • Black bears have alternate

mechanism to conserve energy during hibernation

Pinnipedia Families: Otariidae, Odobenidae and Phocidae

Family Otariidae

• Sea lions and fur seals • 7 Genera, 16 species • Occur along coastlines

of Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans

• Hind flippers can be rotated and used for terrestrial locomotion

Genus: Zalophus

Family Odobenidae Genus: Odobenus • 1 Genera, 1 species • Walrus • Occur along arctic

shorelines of Atlantic and Pacific oceans

• Upper canines form large tusks; lack enamel

• Primarily eat mollusks

Family Phocidae

• 13 Genera, 19 species • Cannot rotate flippers;

no external ear • Adapted for deep

diving • Broadly distributed in

polar and temperate waters

Family Mustelidae

• Badgers, otters, weasels

• 23 Genera, 59 species • Mostly carnivorous • Variable mating and

social systems • Occur in many habitat

types

Family Mustelidae Genus: Mustela • Solitary, delayed

implantation • 3-4 young/year • Some are “Surplus

killers” • Sexually dimorphic

Family Mustelidae Genus: Neovison • American mink • Sexually dimorphic • Invasive species in

Europe and S. America • Semi-aquatic • Populations may cycle

with muskrat populations in northern latitudes

Family Mustelidae Genus: Taxidea • American Badger • 5-12 kg • Solitary, polygynous,

delayed implantation • 5-10 year lifespan • Compulsive diggers

Family Mustelidae Genus: Lontra • N. American river otter • Large mustelid (5-14 kg) • Mostly consumes fish • Polygynous, with

delayed implantation • Successfully

reintroduced into Midwest, US

Family Mustelidae Genus: Enhydra • Sea otter • Sea ice limits northern

range, kelp forest limits their southern range

• Largest mustelid (22-45 kg)

• Fur density ~100,000 hairs/cm2

• Otter/Kelp/Urchin trophic interactions

Family Mustelidae Genus: Gulo • Wolverine • 9-30 kg; Sexually

dimorphic • Occur in boreal forests

in northern hemisphere • Ferocious – will fight

bears and wolves over food

• Will take prey >5 times their size

Family Mephitidae

• Skunks • 4 Genera, 12 species • N. and S. America • Forages mostly on

insects and rodents; primary predator of honey bees

• Strong anal scent glands

Genus: Spilogale

Genus: Mephitis

Family Procyonidae

• Raccoons • 6 Genera, 15 species • Occur in New World • Plantigrade, non-

retractable claws • Polygynous; 2-4

young/year

Family Procyonidae Genus: Nasua

Coatis

Family Procyonidae Genus: Bassariscus

Family Procyonidae Genus: Procyon

Family Ailuridae

• 1 Genus, 1 species • Red panda • Endemic to Himalayas • Eats mostly bamboo • 8-10 year lifespan