Martes americana Pinel 1792

9. American Marten Martes americana French: Martre d’Amérique / German: Fichtenmarder / Spanish: Marta norteamericana Taxonomy. Mustela americanus Turton, 1806, North America. The number of subspecies is debated and here we recognize eight. Subspecies and Distribution. M. a. americana Turton, 1806 — E Canada (Ontario & Quebec) anf NE USA. M. a. abietinoides Gray, 1865 — SW Canada (C British Columbia & SW Alberta) and NW USA (N Montana & Idaho). M. a. actuosa Osgood, 1900 — Alaska and NW Canada (N Alberta, N British Catan, Northwest Territories & Yukon). M. a. atrata Bangs, 1897 — NE Canada (Newfoundland and Labrador). M. a. caurina Merriam, 1890 — W Canada (W British Columbia) and USA (S Alaska & W Washington). M. a. humboldtensis Grinnell & Dixon, 1926 — SW USA (NW California). M. a. kenaiensis Elliot, 1903 — Alaska (Kenai Peninsula). M. a. nesophila Osgood, 1901 — SW Alaska and W Canada (islands off British Columbia, and perhaps along nearby mainland). Descriptive notes. Head-body 36-45 cm (males), 32-40 cm (females), tail 20-23 cm (males), 18-20 cm (females); weight 470-1250 g (males), 280-850 g (females), adult males are about 65% heavier than females. The American Marten has a long, slender body, with short limbs, bushy tail, and large rounded ears. The pelage ranges from light beige to dark brown, and often shows shades of orange. Many individuals have yellow to bright orange throat and upper chest patches. The head is pale gray and the legs and tail are almost black. The feet are fully furred, each digit has a strong claw. There are four pairs of mammae. The skull is long and narrow, with elongated auditory bullae. Dental formula: 13/3,C1/1,P4/4,M 1/2 = 38. Habitat. American Martens are found predominantly in mature conifer or coniferdominated mixed forests. Preferred habitats are mature old-growth spruce-fir communities, with greater than 30% canopy cover, a well-established understory of fallen logs and stumps, and lush shrub and forb vegetation. They avoid large open spaces such as clearcuttings, but may use riparian areas, meadows, forest edges, and rocky alpine areas above the timberline. In the coastal forests of California, American Martens select the largest available patches of old-growth, old-growth and late-mature, or serpentine habitat; dense, spatially extensive shrub cover is a key habitat element. In Alberta, during the winter, American Martens use young forests, and mature/old coniferous and deciduous stands, according to their availability. In the Selkirk and Purcell Mountains of south-west Canada, American Martens were detected in all habitats sampled including recently logged areas, regenerating stands, dry Douglas-fir (Pseudosuga menziesii) forest and subalpine parkland. They selected for greater crown closure and older stands at the finer resolution; no selection for forest structure was detected at the larger resolution except that American Martens selected against increased overstory heterogeneity. They preferred coniferous stands over deciduous-dominated stands and were more abundant in wetter than in dryer areas. In a clearcut boreal landscape in western Quebec, in which black spruce (Picea mariana) is the predominant forest type, American Martens avoid open regenerating stands composed mostly of recent clearcuts with sparse regeneration. They do not select coniferous stands, even those that are mature or overmature, but prefer deciduous and mixed stands, a large proportion of which has a dense coniferous shrub layer. Winter home ranges usually contain less than 30-35% open or closed regenerating stands and more than 40-50% uncut forest. In south-eastern Labrador, American Martens avoid areas with low productivity and low canopy cover (