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Marten
	European Pine Marten
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia;
Phylum:	Chordata;
Class:	Mammalia;
Order:	Carnivora;
Family:	Mustelidae;
Subfamily:	Mustelinae;
Genus:	Martes; Pinel, 1792
Species
	Martes americana; Martes flavigula; Martes foina; Martes gwatkinsii; Martes martes; Martes melampus; Martes pennanti; Martes zibellina;

For the Wiltshire village see Marten, Wiltshire. For the town in Bulgaria, see Marten, Bulgaria.

"Martens" redirects here. For other uses, see Martens (disambiguation).

The Martens constitute the genus Martes within the subfamily Mustelinae, in family Mustelidae.

[edit] Description

Martens are slender, agile animals, adapted to living in taigas, and are found in coniferous and northern deciduous forests across the northern hemisphere. They have bushy tails, and large paws with partially retractible claws. The fur varies from yellowish to dark brown, depending on the species, and, in many cases, is valued by fur trappers.

[edit] Diet

Martens are carnivorous animals related to wolverines, minks and weasels. Their diet consists of squirrels, mice, rabbits, birds, fish, insects, and eggs, and they will also eat fruit and nuts when these are available.^[1]

[edit] Behavior

Martens are solitary animals, meeting only to breed in late spring or early summer. Litters of up to five blind and near-naked kits are born in early Spring. They are weaned after around two months, and leave the mother to fend for themselves at about three to four months of age.

[edit] Etymology

The Modern English "marten" comes from the Middle English "martryn", in turn borrowed from the Anglo-French "martrine" and Old French "martre" (French "martes"), itself from a Germanic source, cf. Old English mearþ, Old Norse mörðr, Old High German mardar.

[edit] Species

Recent DNA research has shown that the genus Martes is in fact polyphyletic, placing Martes pennanti and Martes americana outside the genus and allying it with Eira and Gulo, to form a new New World clade. The genus first evolved up to seven million years ago, during the Pliocene.

American Marten Martes americana
- Newfoundland Pine Marten Martes americana atrata
Yellow-throated Marten Martes flavigula
Beech Marten Martes foina
Nilgiri Marten Martes gwatkinsii
Pine Marten Martes martes
Japanese Marten Martes melampus
Fisher Martes pennanti
Sable Martes zibellina

[edit] Cultural references

In the Middle Ages, marten pelts were highly valued goods used as a form of payment in Slavonia, the Croatian Littoral and Dalmatia. The Croatian word for marten, kuna, is the name of the modern Croatian currency. ^[2] A marten is depicted on the obverse of the 1, 2 and 5 kuna coins, minted since 1993, and on the reverse of the 25 kuna commemorative coins.^[3]

[edit] References

Wikispecies has information related to: Martes

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Martes

^ Powell, Roger (1984). Macdonald, D.. ed. The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. pp. 118–119. ISBN 0-87196-871-1.
^ Croatian National Bank. First Money — History of the Croatian Currency: Kuna and lipa — the Croatian Currency. – Retrieved on 31 March 2009.
^ Croatian National Bank. Kuna and Lipa, Coins of Croatia: 1 Kuna Coin, 2 Kuna Coin, 5 Kuna Coin & Commemorative 25 Kuna Coins in Circulation. – Retrieved on 31 March 2009.

[EoM-0] Powell, Roger (1984). Macdonald, D.. ed. The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. pp. 118–119. ISBN 0-87196-871-1.

[1] Croatian National Bank. First Money — History of the Croatian Currency: Kuna and lipa — the Croatian Currency. – Retrieved on 31 March 2009.

[2] Croatian National Bank. Kuna and Lipa, Coins of Croatia: 1 Kuna Coin, 2 Kuna Coin, 5 Kuna Coin & Commemorative 25 Kuna Coins in Circulation. – Retrieved on 31 March 2009.

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