Sixteen of twenty-nine adults examined show infestation of the frontal sinuses by parasites. However, in none is the malformation of the frontal region so great as frequently occurs in M. f. noveboracensis.
Specimens examined.—Total number, 52, arranged alphabetically by states and from north to south by counties in each state. Except as otherwise indicated specimens are in the University of California Museum of Vertebrate Zoölogy.
Alabama. Lawrence County: White Creek, 1; Little Sand Mt., Shoal Creek, 2. Winston County: 7-1/2 mi. N Nauvoo, 1; 8 mi. N Nauvoo, 1. Lauderdale County: near Leighton, 9 mi. N Tennessee River, 1[91]. Colbert County: Leighton, 1[91]. Autauga County: Autaugaville, 1[91]. Dale County: Midland City, 1[91]. Mobile County: Mobile River, 12 mi. NE Mobile, 1[91].
Florida. Alachua County: Gainesville, 4[61]. Marion County: "Silver Springs," 1.
Georgia. Spalding County, 1. Lamar County, 1. Talbot County: southwest part of county, 1; Box Springs, near Geneva, 3; Upatoie Creek, 1 mi. SW Box Springs, 2; 3 mi. SE Geneva, 1; 4 mi. W Geneva, 1; 5 mi. W Geneva, 1; 2 mi. E Geneva, 1. Chattahoochee County, 2. Grady County: Beachton, 3[91]; locality no more definite than county, 4. Thomas County: Sinkola Plantation, 2; locality no more definite than county, 2. Charlton County: 1/2 mi. E Chesser's Island, Okefinokee Swamp, 1[58]. County in question: Billy's Island, Okefinokee Swamp, 1[91]; Okefinokee Swamp, 1[58].
Mississippi. Clark County: Souinlonie Creek, 1.
South Carolina. Darlington County: Society Hill, 1[91]. Sumter County: Mayesville, 1[11]. Calhoun County: St. Matthews, 2[11]. Georgetown County: Sampit, 1[11]. Charleston County: Rantowles, 1[11]; 8 mi. N Charleston, 1[11]. Beaufort County: Yemassee, 1[2].
Mustela frenata peninsulae (Rhoads)
Long-tailed Weasel
Putorius peninsulae Rhoads, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1894:152, June 19, 1894; Bangs, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 10:10, February 25, 1896.
Mustela peninsulae, Miller, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull., 79:98, December 31, 1912.
Mustela p. peninsulae, Bailey, Bailey Mus. and Library Nat. Hist., 1(no. 5):1, December 1, 1930.
Mustela frenata peninsulae, Hall, Carnegie Instit. Washington Publ. 473:105, September 20, 1936.
Type.—Female, young, part skull and skin; no. 8515, Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia; Hudson's, Pasco County [14 miles north of Tarpon Springs], Florida; before 1895; obtained by W. S. Dickinson.
The skull has been cut vertically in two at the plane of the glenoid fossae. These fossae and all the cranium posterior to them are missing. In addition to the part of the cranium anterior to the glenoid fossae, the lower jaws are preserved complete. The teeth all are present and entire. The prominent sutures on the rostrum and palate show the specimen to be young and its small size leaves but little doubt that the animal was a female. The light facial markings are more extensive than in any of the referred specimens. In the type these light facial markings consist of a median isolated spot immediately in front of the ears, a larger one on the nose, with an interrupted bar on each side extending posteroventrally in front of and anterior to the eye, a wider bar, on each side, extending anterodorsally between the ear and eye and finally an isolated spot at the anterior border of each ear. The skin is stuffed and in fair condition except that the vertebrae remain in the tail.
Range.—Austral and probably Tropical life-zones of Florida south of latitude 29°. See figure [29] on page [221].
Characters for ready recognition.—Differs from M. f. olivacea in coarser pelage and larger tympanic bullae.
Description.—Size.—Male: No external measurements available. Female: The type a young animal and no. 2379, an adult from Tarpon Springs, measure respectively as follows: Total length, 375, 378; length of tail, 100, 130; length of hind foot, 40, 44.5.
Externals.—As described in Mustela frenata noveboracensis except that hairiness of foot-soles as shown in figure [20].
Color.—Upper parts (in winter) near tone 3 of Burnt Umber of Oberthür and Dauthenay, pl. 304. Dark spot at each angle of mouth present or absent. Tip of tail black. Underparts Reed Yellow except on chin and usually on legs where white. Upper lips white entirely around. Upper parts of uniform color. Color of underparts extends distally on legs over both sides of feet and on front legs over wrists. Proximal part of tail slightly lighter below than above. Least width of color of underparts, in seven specimens, averaging 41 (extremes 31-52) per cent of greatest width of color of upper parts. Black tip of tail, in each of two females, 45 mm. long; thus slightly longer than hind foot and amounting to 36 per cent of length of tail-vertebrae.
The spot at the angle of the mouth is absent in four of the ten specimens and is present on both sides in the other six.
Skull and teeth.—Male (based on an adult from Apopka and the anterior part of an adult from Enterprise): See measurements and plates [16]-[18]. As described in Mustela frenata olivacea except that: Weight, 7.0 grams; basilar length, 49.8.
Female (based on an adult from Tarpon Springs, Florida): See measurements. As described in Mustela frenata olivacea except that: Weight, 4.7 grams; basilar length, 44.2; zygomatic breadth more than distance between anterior palatine foramen and anterior margin of tympanic bulla.
In comparison with M. f. olivacea, the insufficient material of M. f. peninsulae suggests that its skull averages larger and has relatively as well as actually larger and more inflated tympanic bullae.
Remarks.—The first published mention of this weasel seems to have been the original description which appeared in 1894. This description was based on a single specimen sent to Samuel N. Rhoads by W. S. Dickinson, who, in the following year, procured another specimen at Tarpon Springs. So far as known only eight other specimens, as listed under "Specimens examined," have found their way into collections of study specimens.
H. H. Bailey (1930:1) credits the range of this subspecies as extending south "to the shores of Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, where ever high ground occurs."