Newfoundland pine marten

Newfoundland pine marten

Critically Imperiled  (NatureServe)[1]

Special Concern (COSEWIC)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Genus: Martes
Species:
M. americana
Subspecies:
M. a. atrata
Trinomial name
Martes americana atrata
(Bangs, 1897)[3]

The Newfoundland pine marten (Martes americana atrata) is a genetically distinct subspecies of the American marten (Martes americana) found only on the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada; it is one of only 14 species of land mammals native to the island. The marten was listed as endangered by the COSEWIC in 2001 and has been protected since 1934, however the population still declines.[4] The Newfoundland marten has been geographically and reproductively isolated from the mainland marten population for 7000 years.[5] The Newfoundland pine marten is similar in appearance to its continental cousin, but is slightly larger, with dark brown fur with an orange/yellow patch on the throat.[6] Females are an average weight of 772 grams and males have an average weight of 1275 grams.[6] The Newfoundland subspecies is also observed to inhabit a wider range of forest types than its mainland counterparts. The population characteristics suggest that the Newfoundland marten is a product of unique ecological setting and evolutionary selective factors acting on the isolated island population.[5] The Newfoundland pine marten is omnivorous, feeding on mainly small mammals, along with birds, old carcasses, insects and fruits; it is currently found in suitable pockets of mature forest habitat, on the west coast of Newfoundland and in and around Terra Nova National Park.[7] The Pine Marten Study Area (PMSA) is located in southwestern Newfoundland and is a 2078 km2 wildlife reserve that was created in 1973 to protect the Newfoundland Marten.[5]

  1. ^ "Martes americana atrata. NatureServe Explorer 2.0". Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  2. ^ "American Marten (Martes americana atrata): COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report 2022". www.canada.ca. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Martes americana atrata". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kyle2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Hearn2006 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference RecoveryTeam was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "American marten Newfoundland population". Species at Risk Public Registry. Environment Canada. January 11, 2010. Archived from the original on November 21, 2004. Retrieved January 31, 2010.