Musterina

Musterina is a historical scientific name that has appeared in zoological literature but is not currently recognized as a valid taxon. In older publications, Musterina was proposed as a genus within the family Mustelidae and was associated with small carnivorous mammals. Over time, taxonomic revisions and the discovery of new relationships led many authors to reclassify species formerly placed in Musterina into other genera, most commonly Mustela or related groups. As a result, Musterina is generally treated as obsolete or invalid in modern classifications.

The precise application of the name in historical sources varies, and contemporary checklists do not maintain Musterina as a valid genus. Some discussions in the taxonomic literature have treated Musterina as a junior synonym of other genera, but there is no widespread consensus, and usage is inconsistent across publications and regions. Because of these uncertainties, Musterina is seldom encountered in current scientific practice outside discussions of nomenclatural history.

Beyond science, musterina can appear as a personal surname or as a fictional or brand name in literature and media. Such uses are unrelated to the zoological concept described above and reflect the word’s broader linguistic appeal rather than its taxonomic status.

Related topics include the family Mustelidae and the broader issue of taxonomic synonyms and obsolete genera. In modern zoological databases, Musterina is not listed as an accepted name.