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The European polecat (''Mustela putorius'') — also known as the black or forest polecat, or fitch (as well as a some other names) — is a species of mustelid native to western Eurasia and North Africa. It is of a generally dark brown colour, with a pale underbelly and a dark mask across the face. Occasionally, colour mutations, including albinos and erythrists, occur.〔 Compared to minks and other weasels — also fellow members of the genus ''Mustela'' — the polecat has a shorter, more compact body〔 a more powerfully built skull and dentition,〔 and is less agile.〔 It is much less territorial than other mustelids, with animals of the same sex frequently sharing home ranges.〔 Like other mustelids, the European polecat is polygamous, though pregnancy occurs directly after mating, with no induced ovulation.〔 It usually gives birth in early summer to litters consisting of five to 10 kits, which become independent at the age of two to three months. The European polecat feeds on small rodents, birds, amphibians and reptiles.〔 It occasionally cripples its prey by piercing its brain with its teeth and stores it, still living, in its burrow for future consumption.〔〔 The European polecat originated in Western Europe during the Middle Pleistocene, with its closest living relatives being the steppe polecat, the black-footed ferret and the European mink. With the two former species, it can produce fertile offspring,〔 though hybrids between it and the latter species tend to be sterile, and are distinguished from their parent species by their larger size and more valuable pelts.〔 The European polecat is the sole ancestor of the ferret, which was domesticated more than 2000 years ago for the purpose of hunting vermin.〔 The species has otherwise been historically viewed negatively by humans. In the British Isles especially, the polecat was persecuted by gamekeepers, and became synonymous with promiscuity in early English literature. During modern times, the polecat is still scantly represented in popular culture when compared to other rare British mammals, and misunderstandings of its behaviour still persist in some rural areas.〔 As of 2008, it is classed by the IUCN as Least Concern due to its wide range and large numbers.〔 ==Etymology and naming== The word "polecat" first appeared after the Norman Conquest of England, written as ''polcat''. While the second syllable is largely self-explanatory, the origin of the first is unclear. It is possibly derived from the French ''poule'', meaning "chicken", likely in reference to the species' fondness for poultry, or it may be a variant of the Old English ''ful'', meaning "foul". In Middle English, the species was referred to as ''foumart'', meaning "foul marten", in reference to its strong odour. In Old French, the polecat was called ''fissau'', which was derived from the Low German and Scandinavian verb for "to make a disagreeable smell". This was later corrupted in English as ''fitchew'' or ''fitchet'', which itself became the word "fitch", which is used for the polecat's pelt. The word ''fitchet'' is the root word for the North American fisher, which was named by Dutch colonists in America who noted similarities between the two species. In some countries such as New Zealand, the term "fitch" has taken on a wider use to refer to related creatures such as ferrets, especially when farmed for their fur.〔"(DOC's work with ferrets )", New Zealand Department of Conservation. Retrieved 20 April 2014.〕〔"(Ferrets )", "Wild about New Zealand". Retrieved 20 April 2014.〕 A 2002 article in The Mammal Society's ''Mammal Review'' contested the European polecat's status as an animal indigenous to the British Isles on account of a scarce fossil record and linguistic evidence. Unlike most native British mammals, the polecat's Welsh name (''ffwlbart'', derived from the Middle English ''foulmart'') is not of Celtic origin, much as the Welsh names of invasive species such as the European rabbit and fallow deer (''cwningen'', derived from the Middle English ''konyng'' and ''danas'', derived from the Old French ''dain'', respectively) are of Middle English or Old French origin. Polecats are not mentioned in Anglo-Saxon or Welsh literature prior to the Norman conquest of England in 1066, with the first recorded mention of the species in the Welsh language occurring in the 14th century's ''Llyfr Coch Hergest'' and in English in Chaucer’s ''The Pardoner’s Tale'' (1383). In contrast, attestations of the Welsh word for pine marten (''bele''), date back at least to the 10th century Welsh Laws and possibly much earlier in northern England.〔Brown, Duncan (2002) (The foulmart: what’s in a name? ) ''Mammal Rev.'', Volume 32, No. 2, 145–149〕 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「European polecat」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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