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The American badger (''Taxidea taxus'') is a North American badger, somewhat similar in appearance to the European badger. It is found in the western and central United States, northern Mexico, and south-central Canada to certain areas of southwestern British Columbia. American badger habitat is typefied by open grasslands with available prey (such as mice, squirrels, and groundhogs). The species prefers areas such as prairie regions with sandy loam soils where it can dig more easily for its prey. ==Taxonomy== The American badger is a member of the Mustelidae, a diverse family of carnivorous mammals that also includes the weasel, otter, ferret, and wolverine. The American badger belongs to the Taxidiinae, one of three subfamilies of badgers - the other two being the Melinae (9 species, including the Eurasian badger) and the Mellivorinae (honey badger). The American badger's closest relative is the prehistoric ''Chamitataxus''. Recognized subspecies include: the nominate subspecies ''T. t. taxus'', found in central Canada and central US; ''T. t. jacksoni'', found in the southern Great Lakes region including southern Ontario; ''T. t. jeffersoni'', in British Columbia and the western US; and ''T. t. berlandieri'', in the southwestern US and northern Mexico. Ranges of subspecies overlap considerably, with intermediate forms occurring in the areas of overlap. In Mexico, this animal is sometimes called ''tlalcoyote''. The Spanish word for badger is ''tejón'', but in Mexico this word is also used to describe the coati. This can lead to confusion, as both coatis and badgers are found in Mexico. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「American badger」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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