Asian Badger

Asian Badger
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Caniformia
Family:	{{{1}}}
Genus:	{{{1}}}
Species:	M. leucurus
Binomial name
Meles leucurus Hodgson, 1847
Asian Badger range

Other names

Description

Similar species

Subspecies

Subspecies	Trinomial authority	Description	Range	Synonyms
Common sand badger Meles leucurus leucurus	Hodgson, 1847			blanfordi (Matschie, 1907) chinensis (Gray, 1868) hanensis (Matschie, 1907) leptorhynchus (Milne-Edwards, 1867) siningensis (Matschie, 1907) tsingtauensis (Matschie, 1907)
Amur badger Meles leucurus amurensis	Schrenck, 1859	The darkest coloured and smallest subspecies. The facial stripes extend above the ears, and are black or blackish-brown in colour. The entire area between the stripes and cheeks are dirty-greyish brown, as opposed to white. The colour can be so dark, that the stripes are almost indistinguishable. The back is greyish-brown with silver highlights. The pelage itself is soft, but is lacking in wool. The skull is small, smooth and has weakly developed projections. It lacks first premolars. Body length is 60–70 centimetres (24–28 in)	Ussuri, Priamurye, Greater Khingan and Korean Peninsula	melanogenys (J. A. Allen, 1913) schrenkii (Nehring, 1891)
Kazakh badger Meles leucurus arenarius	Satunin, 1895	A moderately sized subspecies, being intermediate in size between Meles m. meles and Meles m. canascens. Its colour is lighter and paler than its northern cousins, with less prominent facial stripes. Its pelage is coarse and bristly, and has scarce underfur. Boars grow to 70–78 centimetres (28–31 in) in body length, while sows grow to 61–70 centimetres (24–28 in). Boars weigh 7.8–8.3 kilograms (17–18 lb) in March–May, and 5.6–7 kilograms (12–15 lb) in March–June	Southeastern Volga, most of Kazakhstan (excepting the northern and montane parts), the Middle Asian plains (excepting the regions occupied by Meles m. canascens and Meles m. severzovi)
Siberian badger Meles leucurus sibiricus	Kastschenko, 1900	A moderately sized subspecies, being intermediate in size between Meles m. meles and Meles m. canascens. The general colour tone of the back is light grey, usually with yellowish or straw coloured highlights. The facial stripes are brownish-black to tawny black. The pelage is long and soft with a dense undercoat. Boars grow to 65.7–75 centimetres (25.9–29.5 in) in body length, while sows grow to 62–69.2 centimetres (24.4–27.2 in). Boars weigh 10–13.6 kilograms (22–30 lb)	Siberia, including Transbaikalia and Altai, northern Kazakhstan and probably the eastern Volga	aberrans (Stroganov, 1962) altaicus (Kastschenko, 1902) enisseyensis (Petrov, 1953) eversmanni (Petrov, 1953) raddei (Kastschenko, 1902)
Tien Shan badger Meles leucurus tianschanensis	Hoyningen-Huene, 1910	A moderately sized subspecies, with a somewhat darker pelt than Meles l. arenarius and a less developed yellow sheen. The fur is longer, denser and fluffier	Northern Tien Shan	talassicus (Ognev, 1931)

Behaviour

Diet

Calls

Reproduction

Distribution/habitat

References

External links

Projects <fb:like/>
This article is part of Project Mammalia, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each mammal, including made-up species. This article is part of Project Carnivora, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each carnivoran, including made-up species. File:Longtailed Weasel.png This article is part of Project Mustelidae, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Mustelid, including made-up species.