The genus mustela linnaeus, 1758 in Turkey: Distribution of species, subspecies status, karyology and morphometry

Abstract

Mustela nivalis is already known to be distributed throughout Turkey. However, the subspecies Mustela nivalis vulgaris in the European part of Turkey and Mustela nivalis caucasica in the Anatolian peninsula should be accepted as two different geographical forms. The evaluation of baculum morphology revealed that subspecies M. n. vulgaris and M. n. nivalis live sympatrically in Edirne. Mustela putorius is another species determined to exist in the north western Thrace. However, Mustela erminea is not present in Turkey, although commonly confused with the white winter form of M. nivalis. For the first time, an individual with a winter fur was seen under 1.000 metres. The study on fur types also revealed both vulgaris- and nivalis-types lived sympatrically in Anatolia, while only vulgaris-type was present in Thrace.The karyotype of M. nivalis is determined as 2n=42, NF=80, NFa=76; with 15 meta/submetacentric, 3 subtelocentric, and 2 acrocentric chromosomes. The X chromosome is submetacentric, and Y is acrocentric. Conservation efforts are needed to protect the population of M. putorius, which has declined in both size and distribution by more than half in the past 50 years. The population of M. nivalis is also at risk due to public prejudice and raising public awareness on both species may be useful for their conservation. © by PSP