Egyptian weasel
The Egyptian weasel is a unique population of the least weasel endemic to northern Egypt. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It was formerly considered a distinct species, as Mustela subpalmata. Taxonomy Due to its great resemblance to the least weasel (M. nivalis), the Egyptian weasel was only suggested to be a separate species in 1992, based on measures of skull sizes. However, results of a phylogenetic study indicate that mitochondrial DNA supports the Egyptian weasel to be an isolated population of Mustela nivalis, namely the subspecies numidica, which occurs in other parts of the Mediterranean basin, rather than a distinct species, or even a subspecies. The American Society of Mammalogists has since recognized it as conspecific with M. nivalis. Characteristics The Egyptian weasel has short legs, a small head, and small ears. Its tail is long and thin. The weasel has a broad snout. The upper part of the body is brown and the lower part is cream-colored. Sizes for the Egyptian weasel are: Male head-body length: 36.1–43 cm Female head-body length: 32.6–39 cm Male tail length: 10.9-12.9 cm Female tail length: 9.4–11 cm Male weight: 60-130g Female weight: 45-60g. Distribution and habitat The