The lesser of two weasels
this post was submitted on 17 Jul 2024
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Let's all vote for the lesser of two weasels.
Only the smallest mammalian carnivore.
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)
Well, if you want to head that way, there's Etruscan shrew. Less than 2 grams of weight and 4 cm of length.
It's known for taking down prey larger than itself and I think holds the record for biggest disparity of weight predator to prey.
I assumed they meant carnivora
That's definitely not the world's smallest carnivore, but it is a small carnivore
They probably meant carnivore mammal.
Edit: it's the smallest species of the carnivora order. So not the "smallest carnivore", but "smallest carnivorian".
Right? Shit, we got single-cell carnivores in this world.
Any less weasel and BAM, got yourself a mouse.
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.
The problem is there isn't a Most Weasel.
I think that would be the wolverine.
The superhero or the animal? Because I'm fine with either.
An absolute unit.
And that unit shall be called "1 milliweasel".
Which is equivalent to 1x10^-3^ weasel or 1x10^-6^ kiloweasel.
GIGAWEASEL
you can have
... I can has?
It's so cute!
holy shit, I didn't think there was anything smaller than a stoat in that family
The Leasel
Leasel al Gahib!
Isn't that a stoat
It's less than a stoat
That thing is a killing machine!
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.
A quantum of stoat.
Aka long hamsterat
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
@fossilesque
it's the world's smallest carnivoran, not the smallest carnivore, which would probably be some form of insect.
@kopper
Cute cat snake
Love it!
Knowing weasels at least one of those has taken down a moose
Minimum Viable Predator