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Least Weasel (mander.xyz)

submitted 2 years ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz

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[-] Eylrid@lemmy.world 77 points 2 years ago

The lesser of two weasels

[-] Rusty@lemmy.ca 20 points 2 years ago

Let's all vote for the lesser of two weasels.

[-] trxxruraxvr@lemmy.world 41 points 2 years ago

Only the smallest mammalian carnivore.

[-] chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com 39 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Not even

It is a carnivorous rodent, dining on insects (such as grasshoppers), worms, spiders, centipedes, mantis, scorpions, snakes, and even other mice.

The southern grasshopper mouse has around a 3.5 to 5.0 inches (8.9–12.7 cm) long body

[Least weasel] Average body length in males is 130 to 260 mm (5 to 10 in), while females average 114 to 204 mm (4.5 to 8.0 in)

[-] lemming@sh.itjust.works 26 points 2 years ago

Well, if you want to head that way, there's Etruscan shrew. Less than 2 grams of weight and 4 cm of length.

[-] Madison420@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago

It's known for taking down prey larger than itself and I think holds the record for biggest disparity of weight predator to prey.

[-] explodicle@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 years ago

I assumed they meant carnivora

[-] saltesc@lemmy.world 30 points 2 years ago

That's definitely not the world's smallest carnivore, but it is a small carnivore

[-] jol@discuss.tchncs.de 26 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

They probably meant carnivore mammal.

Edit: it's the smallest species of the carnivora order. So not the "smallest carnivore", but "smallest carnivorian".

[-] TheRealKuni@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years ago

Right? Shit, we got single-cell carnivores in this world.

[-] BroBot9000@lemmy.world 27 points 2 years ago

Any less weasel and BAM, got yourself a mouse.

[-] nickwitha_k@lemmy.sdf.org 26 points 2 years ago

Best mustelid. It's incredible that they are able to take rabbits as prey. And their strategy is absolutely amazing: confusion. They do their weasel war dance and the rabbit doesn't know what the fuck is going on until its neck is in the tiny mouth of a creature 1/10th its size.

[-] captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 22 points 2 years ago

The problem is there isn't a Most Weasel.

[-] roguetrick@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago

I think that would be the wolverine.

[-] Nelots@lemm.ee 5 points 2 years ago

The superhero or the animal? Because I'm fine with either.

[-] jabathekek@sopuli.xyz 15 points 2 years ago

An absolute unit.

[-] DasFaultier@sh.itjust.works 23 points 2 years ago

And that unit shall be called "1 milliweasel".

[-] jabathekek@sopuli.xyz 11 points 2 years ago

Which is equivalent to 1x10^-3^ weasel or 1x10^-6^ kiloweasel.

[-] dactylotheca@suppo.fi 9 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

GIGAWEASEL

[-] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 14 points 2 years ago

you can have

... I can has?
It's so cute!

[-] pelletbucket@lemm.ee 10 points 2 years ago

holy shit, I didn't think there was anything smaller than a stoat in that family

[-] lightnsfw@reddthat.com 10 points 2 years ago

The Leasel

[-] The_Che_Banana@beehaw.org 2 points 2 years ago

Leasel al Gahib!

[-] witty_username@feddit.nl 9 points 2 years ago

Isn't that a stoat

[-] dactylotheca@suppo.fi 10 points 2 years ago

It's less than a stoat

[-] trolske@feddit.org 7 points 2 years ago

They are pretty metal. They kill their prey by literally crushing the skull.
I've seen them hunt and once they get a hold of the prey, the struggle is over in seconds.

[-] Semjaza@lemmynsfw.com 7 points 2 years ago

That thing is a killing machine!

[-] Semjaza@lemmynsfw.com 3 points 2 years ago

[-] mycodesucks@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

A quantum of stoat.

[-] A_A@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Average body length in males is 130 to 260 mm, while females average 114 to 204 mm.
Males weigh 36 to 250 g, while females weigh 29 to 117 g.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least_weasel