14-466: Conepatus Mydaus Mephitis Spilogale † Brachyprotoma † Palaeomephitis † Promephitis Mephitidae is a family of mammals comprising the skunks and stink badgers . They are noted for the great development of their anal scent glands , which they use to deter predators. Skunks were formerly classified as a subfamily of the Mustelidae (the weasel family); however, in
28-418: Is the correct name of the merged populations. The individual hog-nosed skunk species vary in size, but among them is included the largest of all skunks. All are characterized by comparatively short hair, especially on the tail, and this appendage lacks the plumelike appearance observed in other skunks. The nose is prolonged into a distinct "snout", naked on the top and sides and evidently used for rooting in
42-794: The 1990s, genetic evidence caused skunks to be treated as a separate family. Similarly, the stink badgers had been classified with badgers, but genetic evidence shows they share a more recent common ancestor with skunks, so they are now included in the skunk family. A 2017 study using retroposon markers indicated that they are most closely related to the Ailuridae ( red pandas and allies) and Procyonidae ( raccoons and allies). There are twelve extant species of mephitids in four genera : Conepatus ( hog-nosed skunks , four species); Mephitis (the hooded and striped skunks , two species); Mydaus (stink badgers, two species); and Spilogale ( spotted skunks , four species). The two stink badgers in
56-486: The American hog-nosed skunk raise concerns over its conservation status. Although both the spotted skunks and common skunks live mainly on insects, the hog-nosed skunks are even more insectivorous in their feeding habits. The bare snout appears to be used constantly for the purpose of rooting out beetles , beetle larvae (or grubs), and larvae of various insects from the ground. This article incorporates text from
70-433: The deserted burrows of other animals, or of natural cavities among the rocks. Owing to their strictly nocturnal habits, they are generally much less frequently seen than the common skunks, even in localities where they are numerous. Sightings are recorded from brush habitat and semi-open grasslands . Habitats may also include rocky terrain and stream beds in desert-scrub and mesquite grassland. Infrequent sightings of
84-412: The earth after the manner of a pig as their name implies. In addition, the front feet are armed with long, heavy claws . The claws are well developed for digging up insect prey, and the front legs and shoulders are provided with a strong muscular development for digging, as in a badger . This likeness has led to the use in some places of the appropriate name "badger skunk" for these animals. The extent of
98-466: The family Mephitidae (skunks). They are native to the Americas . They have white backs and tails and black underparts. † Conepatus robustus † Conepatus sanmiguelensis † Conepatus suffocans Work in 2003 concluded that the western hog-nosed skunk or common hog-nosed skunk (formerly Conepatus mesoleucus ) is the same species as the American hog-nosed skunk, and that Conepatus leuconotus
112-491: The genus Mydaus inhabit Indonesia , Brunei , Malaysia and the Philippines ; the other members of the family inhabit the Americas, ranging from Canada to central South America. All other mephitids are extinct, known through fossils, including those from Eurasia . In taxonomic order, the living species of Mephitidae are: Conepatus The hog-nosed skunks belong to the genus Conepatus and are members of
126-404: The hog-nosed skunk, Conepatus mesoleucus , had two major volatile components, ( E )-2-butene-1-thiol and ( E )- S -2-butenyl thioacetate. Minor volatile components identified from this secretion were phenylmethanethiol, 2-methylquinoline, 2-quinolinemethanethiol,and bis[(E)-2-butenyl] disulfide. 3-Methyl-l-butanethiol, a major component in the defensive spray of the striped skunk, hooded skunk and
140-404: The local distribution of the two is practically the same. They live along the bottom-lands of watercourses, where vegetation is abundant and the supply of food most plentiful, or in canyons and on rocky mountain slopes. For their protection hog-nosed skunks create their own burrows , generally within a bank, or beneath a rock , or the roots of a tree, but do not hesitate to take possession of
154-732: The merge of the American hog-nosed skunks, the eastern hog-nosed skunk, Conepatus leuconotus is typically larger than the western hog-nosed skunk, Conepatus mesoleucus . Female eastern hog-nosed skunks range from 58 to 74 cm in length and 19–34 cm in height. They weigh between 2.0 and 4.0 kg. Male hog-nosed skunks range from 56 to 92 cm in length and 22–41 cm in height. They weigh on average between 3.0 and 4.5 kg. The western hog-nosed skunk ranged from 40 to 84 cm in length, 13–35 cm in height, and 1.1–2.7 kg. Males are larger than females and can occasionally reach 4.5 kg. The teeth are smaller in C. mesoleucus than in C. leuconotus . The anal sac secretion of
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#1732780078841168-515: The open grassy areas in the Patagonian regions of Chile and Argentina The western hog-nosed skunk ( C. mesoleucus ) is found in, Texas , Arizona , New Mexico , Sierra Guadalupe, Coahuila, Colima , Honduras, Sonora , and Nicaragua. The striped hog-nosed skunk, C. semistriatus , is found in Veracruz , Costa Rica, and Guatemala. Where their range coincides with that of the common skunks,
182-643: The spotted skunk was absent from this secretion. The eastern hog-nosed skunk is found only in Southern Texas , Veracruz , Mexico, and Arizona The Molina hog-nosed skunk, also known as the Andean hog-nosed skunk ( C. chinga ), is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay. Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk, also known as the Patagonian hog-nosed skunk ( C. humboldtii ) finds its habitat in
196-450: The stripe on the hind of the skunk, and the color of the tail underside suggests a distinction between eastern and western species. The eastern species is a narrow stripe, with black under the base of the tail. The western distinction is a wide stripe, with a predominantly white tail. The hair on these skunks is coarse and harsh, lacking the qualities which render the coats of their northern relatives so valuable. They are nocturnal . Before
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