en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel
2 corrections found
Mustela eversmannii
The steppe polecat’s accepted scientific name is *Mustela eversmanii*, not *Mustela eversmannii*.
Full reasoning
Current authoritative taxonomic sources list the valid species name as Mustela eversmanii Lesson, 1827. The Mammal Diversity Database explicitly says the valid name is Mustela eversmanii and notes that “the specific epithet has been spelt ‘eversmanni’ by some authors, but the original spelling of ‘eversmanii’ is used here”. ITIS likewise lists Mustela eversmanii as the valid species and treats Mustela eversmannii as a synonym rather than the accepted name.
So the article’s species-list entry uses a misspelling of the currently accepted scientific name.
2 sources
- Mammal Diversity Database: Mustela eversmanii
Mustela eversmanii Lesson, 1827 ... Taxonomy notes: the specific epithet has been spelt 'eversmanni' by some authors, but the original spelling of 'eversmanii' is used here ... Mustela Putorius Eversmanni ... Validity status: synonym; Nomenclatural status: incorrect subsequent spelling.
- ITIS Report: Mustela eversmanii
Mustela eversmanii Lesson, 1827 ... Taxonomic Status: Current Standing: valid ... Synonym(s): Mustela eversmannii Lesson, 1827.
Mustela tonkinensis
Current major taxonomic references do not recognize *Mustela tonkinensis* as a separate species in *Mustela*; they place it under the least weasel, *Mustela nivalis*.
Full reasoning
This entry is presented as if Mustela tonkinensis were a currently accepted species in the genus. However, current taxonomic references consulted here do not treat it that way.
- ITIS lists Mustela tonkinensis Björkegren, 1941 as a synonym of the subspecies Mustela nivalis tonkinensis, not as a separate species.
- The Mammal Diversity Database says the southeast Asian forms tonkinensis, formosana, russelliana, and aistoodonnivalis have been treated in different ways historically, but that they are “all tentatively retained under M. nivalis” except M. aistoodonnivalis, which it recognizes separately.
So listing Mustela tonkinensis outright as a current species of Mustela does not match these current authorities.
2 sources
- ITIS Report: Mustela nivalis tonkinensis
Mustela nivalis tonkinensis Björkegren, 1941 ... Taxonomic Rank: Subspecies ... Synonym(s): Mustela tonkinensis Björkegren, 1941 ... Species Mustela nivalis Linnaeus, 1766.
- Mammal Diversity Database: Mustela nivalis
Taxonomy notes: the Chinese and South East Asian forms tonkinensis, formosana, russelliana, and aistoodonnivalis have variously been considered distinct species ... these are all tentatively retained under M. nivalis, with the exception of M. aistoodonnivalis, which was recently recognized as a distinct species.