Yellow-throated marten larger than other Old World martens; males measure in body length, while females measure . Males weigh , while females weigh . The anal glands sport two unusual protuberances, which can be used to secrete a strong smelling liquid for defensive purposes. The yellow-throated marten has relatively short fur which lacks the fluffiness of the pine marten, sable and beech marten. The winter fur differs from that of other martens by its relative shortness, its harshness and its luster. It is also not as dense, fluffy and compact as that of other martens. The hairs on the tail are short
Marten new New World clade. The genus first evolved up to seven million years ago during the Miocene epoch. The Modern English "marten" comes from the Middle English "martryn", in turn borrowed from the Anglo-French "martrine" and Old French "martre" (Latin "martes"), itself from a Germanic source; cf. Old English "mearþ", Old Norse "mörðr", and Old High German and Yiddish "". Martens are solitary animals, meeting only to breed in late spring or early summer. Litters of up to five blind and nearly hairless kits are born in early spring. They are weaned after around two months, and leave the mother