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| Grison | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Mustelidae |
| Subfamily: | Ictonychinae |
| Genus: | Galictis Bell, 1826 |
| Type species | |
| Viverra vittata | |
| Species | |
 | |
| Galictis range | |
Agrison (/ˈɡrɪzən/,/ˈɡraɪsən/) is anymustelid in thegenusGalictis.[1] Native to Central and South America, the genus contains two extant species: thegreater grison (Galictis vittata), which is found widely inSouth America, throughCentral America to southernMexico; and thelesser grison (Galictis cuja), which is restricted to the southern half of South America.
Thegeneric nameGalictis joins two Greek words:galē (γαλῆ, "weasel") andiktis (ἴκτις,marten/weasel).[2] Compare the wordGalidictis (a mongoose genus).
Thecommon namegrison is from a French word for "gray", a variant ofgris, also meaning "gray".[3]
Locally, inSpanish, it is referred to as ahuroncito (literally "little ferret") orgrisón. InPortuguese, it is afurão.[citation needed]
Grisons measure up to 60 cm (24 in) in length,[4] and weigh between 1 and 3 kg (2.2 and 6.6 lb). The lesser grison is slightly smaller than the greater grison. Grisons generally resemble ahoney badger, but with a smaller, thinner body. Thepelage along the back is a frosted gray with black legs, throat, face, and belly. A sharp white stripe extends from the forehead to the back of the neck.
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They are found in a wide range of habitats from semi-open shrub and woodland to low-elevation forests. They are generally terrestrial, burrowing and nesting in holes in fallen trees or rock crevices, often living underground. They areomnivorous, consuming fruit and small animals (including mammals). Little is known about grison behaviour for multiple reasons, one of which is that their necks are so wide compared to their heads. This has made radio tracking problematic.[citation needed]
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| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lesser grison
| Galictis cuja (Molina, 1782) Four subspecies
| Brazil, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC |
| Greater grison
| Galictis vittata (Schreber, 1776) Five subspecies
| southern Mexico in the north, to central Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia in the south | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC |
Grisons first appeared in South America during the earlyPleistocene about 2.5 million years ago. They may be descended from the fossil generaTrigonictis andSminthosinus, which lived in North America during the mid to latePliocene.[5] There are at least three known fossil species, all of which were found inArgentina:[4]
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