List of mephitids

Last updated
Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) Striped Skunk.jpg
Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis)

Mephitidae is a family of mammals in the order Carnivora, which comprises the skunks and stink badgers. A member of this family is called a mephitid. The skunks of the family are widespread across the Americas, while the stink badgers are in the Greater Sunda Islands of southeast Asia. Species inhabit a variety of habitats, though typically grassland, forest, and shrubland. Most mephitids are 20–50 cm (8–20 in) long, plus a 10–40 cm (4–16 in) tail, though the pygmy spotted skunk can be as small as 11 cm (4 in) plus a 7 cm (3 in) tail, and some striped skunks can be up to 82 cm (32 in) plus a 40 cm (16 in) tail. No estimates have been made for overall population sizes of any of the species, but two species are classified as vulnerable. Mephitids in general are not domesticated, though skunks are sometimes kept as pets. [1]

Contents

The twelve species of Mephitidae are split into four genera: the monotypic Conepatus , hog-nosed skunks; Mephitis , skunks; Mydaus , stink badgers; and Spilogale , spotted skunks. Mephitidae was traditionally a clade within the Mustelidae family, with the stink badgers combined with other badgers within the Melinae genus, but more recent genetic evidence resulted in the consensus to separate Mephitidae into its own family. [2] Extinct species have also been placed into all of the extant genera besides Mydaus, as well as 9 extinct genera; 26 extinct Mephitidae species have been found, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed.

Conventions

IUCN Red List categories
Conservation status
 EX  Extinct (0 species)
 EW  Extinct in the wild (0 species)
 CR  Critically endangered (0 species)
 EN  Endangered (0 species)
 VU  Vulnerable (2 species)
 NT  Near threatened (0 species)
 LC  Least concern (10 species)

The author citation for the species or genus is given after the scientific name; parentheses around the author citation indicate that this was not the original taxonomic placement. Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the mephetid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted. All extinct species or subspecies listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a dagger symbol "". Population figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.

Classification

The family Mephitidae consists of twelve extant species belonging to four genera and divided into dozens of extant subspecies. It is not divided into subfamilies. This does not include hybrid species or extinct prehistoric species.

Mephitids

The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis.

Genus Conepatus Gray, 1837 – four species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeSize and ecologyIUCN status and estimated population
American hog-nosed skunk

Hog-nosed-skunk.png

C. leuconotus
(Lichtenstein, 1832)

Three subspecies
  • C. l. figginsi (Eastern hog-nosed skunk)
  • C. l. leuconotus (Furnace Canyon hog-nosed skunk)
  • C. l. telmalestes (Big Thicket hog-nosed skunk)†
Southern North America and northern Central America
Conepatus leuconotus range.PNG
Size: 34–51 cm (13–20 in) long, plus 12–41 cm (5–16 in) tail [3]

Habitat: Rocky areas, forest, grassland, and desert [4]

Diet: Primarily eats insects, as well as fruit and small vertebrates [4]
 LC 


Unknown Decrease2.svg [4]

Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk

Zorrillo.jpg

C. humboldtii
Gray, 1837

Three subspecies
  • C. h. castaneus
  • C. h. humboldtii
  • C. h. proteus
Southern tip of South America
Humboldt's Hog-nosed Skunk area.png
Size: 32–45 cm (13–18 in) long, plus 15–18 cm (6–7 in) tail [5]

Habitat: Shrubland, grassland, savanna, and rocky areas [6]

Diet: Primarily eats insects, as well as small mammals, shrubs, and fruit [6]
 LC 


Unknown Steady2.svg [6]

Molina's hog-nosed skunk

Chingue (Conepatus chinga) Inao Vasquez 001.jpg

C. chinga
(Molina, 1792)

Seven subspecies
  • C. c. budini
  • C. c. chinga
  • C. c. gibsoni
  • C. c. inca
  • C. c. mendosus
  • C. c. rex
  • C. c. suffocans
Southern South America
Molina's Hog-nosed Skunk area.png
Size: 20–49 cm (8–19 in) long, plus 13–29 cm (5–11 in) tail [3]

Habitat: Grassland, shrubland, and savanna [7]

Diet: Omnivorous; primarily eats invertebrates, rodents, small reptiles, and eggs [3] [7]
 LC 


Unknown Decrease2.svg [7]

Striped hog-nosed skunk

Conepatus semistriatus - Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria - Genoa, Italy - DSC02689.JPG

C. semistriatus
(Boddaert, 1785)

Six subspecies
  • C. s. amazonicus
  • C. s. semistriatus
  • C. s. taxinus
  • C. s. trichurus
  • C. s. yucatanicus
  • C. s. zorrino
Northern and eastern South America and Central America
Striped Hog-nosed Skunk area.png
Size: 33–50 cm (13–20 in) long, plus 13–31 cm (5–12 in) tail [3]

Habitat: Grassland, shrubland, and forest [8]

Diet: Primarily eats insects, lizards, and birds [8]
 LC 


Unknown Blue question mark (italic).svg [8]

Genus Mephitis Geoffroy, 1795 – two species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeSize and ecologyIUCN status and estimated population
Hooded skunk

Skunkhooded.jpg

M. macroura
Lichtenstein, 1832

Four subspecies
  • M. m. eximius
  • M. m. macroura
  • M. m. milleri
  • M. m. richardsoni
Mexico and Central America
Hooded Skunk area.png
Size: 19–30 cm (7–12 in) long, plus 35–40 cm (14–16 in) tail [9]

Habitat: Desert, shrubland, rocky areas, grassland, and forest [10]

Diet: Primarily eats insects, fruit, small vertebrates, and bird eggs [10]
 LC 


Unknown Increase2.svg [10]

Striped skunk

Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) DSC 0030.jpg

M. mephitis
(Schreber, 1776)

Thirteen subspecies
  • M. m. avia (Illinois skunk)
  • M. m. elongata (Florida skunk)
  • M. m. estor (Arizona skunk)
  • M. m. holzneri (Southern California skunk)
  • M. m. hudsonica (Northern plains skunk)
  • M. m. major (Great Basin skunk)
  • M. m. mephitis (Canada skunk)
  • M. m. mesomelas (Louisiana skunk)
  • M. m. nigra (Eastern skunk)
  • M. m. notata (Cascade Mountains skunk)
  • M. m. occidentalis (California skunk)
  • M. m. spissigrada (Puget Sound skunk)
  • M. m. varians (Texas long-tailed skunk)
North America
Mephitis mephitis range map.png
Size: 46–82 cm (18–32 in) long, plus 17–40 cm (7–16 in) tail [11]

Habitat: Shrubland, savanna, forest, and grassland [12]

Diet: Primarily eats insects, as well as small mammals, birds, and vegetation [12]
 LC 


Unknown Steady2.svg [12]

Genus Mydaus F. Cuvier, 1821 – two species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeSize and ecologyIUCN status and estimated population
Palawan stink badger

Mydaus marchei Palawan stink badger Huet 1887.jpg

M. marchei
Huet, 1887
Western Philippines
Palawan Stink Badger area.png
Size: 32–49 cm (13–19 in) long, plus 1–5 cm (0–2 in) tail [3]

Habitat: Forest, shrubland, and introduced vegetation [13]

Diet: Primarily eats worms and arthropods [13]
 LC 


Unknown Steady2.svg [13]

Sunda stink badger

Mydaus javanensis lucifer 236799987.jpg

M. javanensis
(Desmarest, 1820)

Three subspecies
  • M. j. javanensis (Sunda stink badger)
  • M. j. lucifer (Bornean stink badger)
  • M. j. ollula (Natuna Islands stink badger)
Indonesia and Malaysia
Sunda Stink Badger area.png
Size: 37–51 cm (15–20 in) long, plus 5–8 cm (2–3 in) tail [14]

Habitat: Grassland, forest, and shrubland [15]

Diet: Primarily eats birds' eggs, carrion, insects, worms, and plants [15]
 LC 


Unknown Steady2.svg [15]

Genus Spilogale Gray, 1865 – four species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeSize and ecologyIUCN status and estimated population
Eastern spotted skunk

Spilogale putorius (2).jpg

S. putorius
(Linnaeus, 1758)

Three subspecies
  • S. p. ambarvalis
  • S. p. interrupta
  • S. p. putorius
Eastern United States
Spilogale putorius range map.png
Size: 11–35 cm (4–14 in) long, plus 7–22 cm (3–9 in) tail [16]

Habitat: Forest, rocky areas, shrubland, and grassland [17]

Diet: Omnivorous; primarily eats insects, as well as small mammals and birds [17]
 VU 


Unknown Decrease2.svg [17]

Pygmy spotted skunk


S. pygmaea
Thomas, 1897

Three subspecies
  • S. p. australis
  • S. p. intermedia
  • S. p. pygmaea
West coast of Mexico
Pygmy Spotted Skunk area.png
Size: 11–35 cm (4–14 in) long, plus 7–12 cm (3–5 in) tail [18]

Habitat: Shrubland, marine coastal/supratidal, and forest [19]

Diet: Primarily eats insects, spiders, birds, eggs, small mammals, fruit, and seeds [19]
 VU 


Unknown Decrease2.svg [19]

Southern spotted skunk

Southern spotted skunk.jpg

S. angustifrons
Howell, 1902

Five subspecies
  • S. a. angustifrons
  • S. a. celeris
  • S. a. elata
  • S. a. tropicalis
  • S. a. yucatanensis
Mexico and Central America
Southern Spotted Skunk area.png
Size: 20–25 cm (8–10 in) long, plus 10–15 cm (4–6 in) tail [3]

Habitat: Forest and rocky areas [20]

Diet: Omnivorous; primarily eats insects, small mammals, fruit, grain, birds, and bird eggs [20]
 LC 


Unknown Steady2.svg [20]

Western spotted skunk

Spilogale gracilis.jpg

S. gracilis
Merriam, 1890

Seven subspecies
  • S. g. amphialus (Island spotted skunk)
  • S. g. gracilis
  • S. g. latifrons
  • S. g. leucoparia
  • S. g. lucasana
  • S. g. martirensis
  • S. g. phenax
Western North America
Western Spotted Skunk area.png
Size: 24–37 cm (9–15 in) long, plus 8–21 cm (3–8 in) tail [3]

Habitat: Inland wetlands, grassland, shrubland, rocky areas, savanna, and forest [21]

Diet: Primarily eats insects, small mammals, carrion, berries, and fruit [21]
 LC 


Unknown Decrease2.svg [21]

References

  1. Johnson-Delaney, C. (October 2014). "Pet Virginia Opossums and Skunks" . Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine . Unusual Exotic Pets. 23 (4): 317–326. doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2014.07.011.
  2. Goswami, Anjali; Friscia, Anthony (2010). Carnivoran Evolution: New Views on Phylogeny, Form and Function. Cambridge University Press. p. 30. ISBN   978-0-521-73586-5.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hunter, Luke (January 8, 2019). Carnivores of the World (2nd ed.). Princeton University Press. pp. 150–156. ISBN   978-0-691-18295-7.
  4. 1 2 3 Helgen, K. (2016). "Conepatus leuconotus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T41632A45210809. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41632A45210809.en .
  5. Shaw, Weylan (2002). "Conepatus humboldtii". Animal Diversity Web . University of Michigan . Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 Emmons, L.; Helgen, K. (2016). "Conepatus humboldtii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T41631A45210677. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41631A45210677.en .
  7. 1 2 3 Emmons, L.; Schiaffini, M.; Schipper, J. (2016). "Conepatus chinga". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T41630A45210528. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41630A45210528.en .
  8. 1 2 3 Cuarón, A. D.; Helgen, K.; Reid, F. (2016). "Conepatus semistriatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T41633A45210987. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41633A45210987.en .
  9. Bairos-Novak, Kevin (2014). "Mephitis macroura". Animal Diversity Web . University of Michigan . Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 Cuarón, A. D.; González-Maya, J. F.; Helgen, K.; Reid, F.; Schipper, J.; Dragoo, J. W. (2016). "Mephitis macroura". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T41634A45211135. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41634A45211135.en .
  11. Kiiskila, Jeffrey (2014). "Mephitis mephitis". Animal Diversity Web . University of Michigan . Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  12. 1 2 3 Helgen, K.; Reid, F. (2016). "Mephitis mephitis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T41635A45211301. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41635A45211301.en .
  13. 1 2 3 Widmann, P. (2015). "Mydaus marchei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2015: e.T14055A45201420. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T14055A45201420.en .
  14. Krauskopf, Rachel (2002). "Mydaus javanensis". Animal Diversity Web . University of Michigan . Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  15. 1 2 3 Wilting, A.; Duckworth, J. W.; Meijaard, E.; Ross, J.; Hearn, A.; Ario, A. (2015). "Mydaus javanensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2015: e.T41628A45209955. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T41628A45209955.en .
  16. Pennington, Stefanie (2002). "Spilogale putorius". Animal Diversity Web . University of Michigan . Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  17. 1 2 3 Gompper, M.; Jachowski, D. (2016). "Spilogale putorius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T41636A45211474. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41636A45211474.en .
  18. Gay, Bradley David (1999). "Spilogale pygmaea". Animal Diversity Web . University of Michigan . Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  19. 1 2 3 Helgen, K.; Cuarón, A. D.; Schipper, J.; González-Maya, J. F. (2016). "Spilogale pygmaea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T41637A45211592. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41637A45211592.en .
  20. 1 2 3 Helgen, K.; Reid, F.; Timm, R. (2016). "Spilogale angustifrons". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T136636A45221538. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T136636A45221538.en .
  21. 1 2 3 Cuarón, A. D.; Helgen, K.; Reid, F. (2016). "Spilogale gracilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T136797A45221721. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T136797A45221721.en .