Comparative illustration of marbled polecat subspecies' pelts; Upper row—extreme types of color variation of South Russian marbled polecat V. p. peregusna Guld (on right specimen from Cis-Caucasus); lower row—Transcaspian marbled polecat V. p. koshevnikovi Sat. (on left) and Semirech'e marbled polecat, V. p. pallidior Strog. {"negans").
Date 1988
Source V. G. Heptner, et al. (1988) Mammals of the Soviet Union, vol. 2, part 1b
Author N. N. Kondakov
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MSU_V2P1b_-_Vormela_peregusna_pelts.png

The marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna) is a small mammal belonging to the monotypic genus Vormela within the Mustelinae subfamily. Vormela is from the German word Würmlein, which means "little worm". The term peregusna comes from perehuznya, which is Ukrainian for polecat. Marbled polecats are generally found in the drier areas and grasslands of southeastern Europe to western China. Like other members of Mustelinae, it can emit a strong-smelling secretion from anal sacs under the tail when threatened.