Description ³

Muskrats, so-called for their odor, which is especially evident during the breeding season, are highly successful semi-aquatic rodents. They occur in both brackish and freshwater lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, and marshes throughout much of North America, except in parts of the South where tidal fluctuation, periodic flooding, or drought limit their distribution. Muskrats have a variety of aquatic adaptations, including a rudder-like tail that is flattened side-to-side, partially webbed hind feet, and fur that traps air for insulation and buoyancy. Because their fur has commercial importance, they were taken to Japan, South America, Scandinavia, and Russia, and there are now feral populations in some places where they were introduced.

Links:
Mammal Species of the World
Click here for The American Society of Mammalogists species account

Fontes e Créditos

1. (c) Aleksandar, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Aleksandar
2. USFWS Mountain-Prairie, sem restrições de direitos de autor conhecidas (domínio público), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Muskrat_Track_on_Seedskadee_NWR_(22390461655).jpg
3. (c) Smithsonian Institution, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/6625264

Mais informações

• BioDiversity4All taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• ASM Mammal Diversity Database
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• CalPhotos
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• iNaturalist Mammal Working Group
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• VertNet
• 日本のレッドデータ検索システム

BioDiversity4All Mapa