Patagonian weasel

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Patagonian weasel

The Patagonian weasel (Lyncodon patagonicus) is a small mustelid and the only species in its genus. It lives in the Pampas of western Argentina and nearby areas of Chile.

Description
- Body length: about 30–35 cm; tail: 6–9 cm.
- Fur is pale whitish with black and dark brown tones.
- It has small ears, short legs, and a bushy tail.
- Not much is known about its behavior in the wild; ranchers sometimes kept it as a rodent killer.

Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Mammalia; Order: Carnivora; Family: Mustelidae; Genus: Lyncodon; Species: Lyncodon patagonicus.
- Binomial name: Lyncodon patagonicus (Blainville, 1842).
- Subspecies: L. p. patagonicus and L. p. thomasi.
- Synonym: Mustela patagonica.

Conservation
- IUCN Red List: Least Concern.

History
- The animal was mentioned early in scientific records by Syms Covington, who sailed with Charles Darwin on the HMS Beagle.

Distribution map
- Found in the Patagonian region of Argentina and Chile ( Patagonian weasel range).