Vormela is a genus of mustelid which contains the marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna), and at least one extinct species.

Vormela
Temporal range: Pliocene - Recent
Marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Subfamily: Ictonychinae
Genus: Vormela
Blasius, 1884
Species

The oldest record of the genus dates to the Villafranchian of Bulgaria, where fossils of Vormela petenyii have been found. This species is considered the ancestor of the marbled polecat. It is also considered synonymous with the species Pliovormela beremendensis. Another possible species known as Vormela prisca has been identified in China.[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ Spassov, N. (2001). "(Carnivora, Mustelidae, Ictonychini) from the Villafranchian of Bulgaria with a description of a new species of Baranogale Kormos, 1934". Geodiversitas. 23 (1): 87–104.
  2. ^ Gorsuch, W.A.; Lariviere, S. (2005). "Vormela peregusna". American Society of Mammalogists: 1–5.