American Badger - Taxonomy

Taxonomy

The American badger is a member of the Mustelidae, a diverse family of carnivorous mammals that also includes the weasel, 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: Taxidea taxus jacksoni, found in the western Great Lakes region; T. t. jeffersoni, on the west coast of Canada and the 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.