Skunk

Skunks are mammals in the family Mephitidae. They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their anal glands. Different species of skunk vary in appearance from black-and-white to brown, cream or ginger colored, but all have warning coloration.

While related to polecats and other members of the weasel family, skunks have as their closest relatives the Old World stink badgers.[1]

## Contents

* 1 Taxonomy
* 2 Terminology
* 3 Description
* 4 Behavior
* 4.1 Reproduction
* 4.2 Diet
* 4.3 Spray
* 4.3.1 Mitigation
* 5 Relations with humans
* 5.1 Bites
* 5.2 As pets
* 6 See also
* 7 Notes
* 8 References
* 9 External links

## Taxonomy

In alphabetical order, the living species of skunks are:[2]

A hooded skunk skeleton on display at the Museum of Osteology

* Family Mephitidae
* Genus: Conepatus
* Conepatus chinga – Molina's hog-nosed skunk
* Conepatus humboldtii – Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk
* Conepatus leuconotus – American hog-nosed skunk
* Conepatus semistriatus – striped hog-nosed skunk
* Genus: Mephitis
* Mephitis macroura – hooded skunk
* Mephitis mephitis – striped skunk
* Genus: Spilogale
* Spilogale angustifrons – southern spotted skunk
* Spilogale gracilis – western spotted skunk
* Spilogale putorius – eastern spotted skunk
* Spilogale pygmaea – pygmy spotted skunk

## Terminology

The word skunk is dated from the 1630s, adapted from a southern New England Algonquian language (probably Abenaki) seganku, from Proto-Algonquian *šeka:kwa, from *šek- 'to urinate' + *-a:kw 'fox'.[3] Skunk has historic use as an insult, attested from 1841.[4]

In 1634, a skunk was described in The Jesuit Relations:

> The other is a low animal, about the size of a little dog or cat. I mention it here, not on account of its excellence, but to make of it a symbol of sin. I have seen three or four of them. It has black fur, quite beautiful and shining; and has upon its back two perfectly white stripes, which join near the neck and tail, making an oval that adds greatly to their grace. The tail is bushy and well furnished with hair, like the tail of a Fox; it carries it curled back like that of a Squirrel. It is more white than black; and, at the first glance, you would say, especially when it walks, that it ought to be called Jupiter's little dog. But it is so stinking and casts so foul an odor, that it is unworthy of being called the dog of Pluto. No sewer ever smelled so bad. I would not have believed it if I had not smelled it myself. Your heart almost fails you when you approach the animal; two have been killed in our court, and several days afterward there was such a dreadful odor throughout our house that we could not endure it. I believe the sin smelled by Saint Catherine de Sienne must have had the same vile odor.[5][lower-alpha 1]

In Southern United States dialect, the term polecat is sometimes used as a colloquial nickname for a skunk,[7] even though polecats are only distantly related to skunks.

As a verb, skunk is used to describe the act of overwhelmingly defeating an opponent in a game or competition. Skunk is also used to refer to certain strong-smelling strains of Cannabis whose smell has been compared to that of a skunk's spray.

## Description

Skunk species vary in size from about 15.6 to 37 in (40 to 94 cm) long and in weight from about 1.1 lb (0.50 kg) (spotted skunks) to 18 lb (8.2 kg) (hog-nosed skunks). They have moderately elongated bodies with relatively short, well-muscled legs and long front claws for digging. They have five toes on each foot.

Back left foot of an albino skunk

Although the most common fur color is black and white, some skunks are brown or grey and a few are cream-colored. All skunks are striped, even from birth. They may have a single thick stripe across the back and tail, two thinner stripes, or a series of white spots and broken stripes (in the case of the spotted skunk).

## Behavior

A skunk in Ontario, Canada

Skunks are crepuscular and solitary animals when not breeding, though in the colder parts of their range, they may gather in communal dens for warmth. During the day they shelter in burrows, which they can dig with their powerful front claws. For most of the year the normal home range for skunks is 0.5 to 2 miles (1 to 3 km) in diameter, with males expanding during breeding season to travel 4 to 5 miles (6 to 8 km) per night.[8]

Skunks are not true hibernators in the winter, but do den up for extended periods of time. However, they remain generally inactive and feed rarely, going through a dormant stage.[9] Over winter, multiple females (as many as 12) huddle together; males often den alone. Often, the same winter den is repeatedly used.

Although they have excellent senses of smell and hearing, they have poor vision, being unable to see objects more than about 3 m (10 ft) away, making them vulnerable to death by road traffic. They are short-lived; their lifespan in the wild can reach seven years, with an average of six years.[10][11] In captivity, they may live for up to 10 years.[10][11]

### Reproduction

File:Female skunk with young.webm File:Young skunk.webm

Skunks are placental, with a gestation period of about 66 days.[12]

The mother is protective of her kits, spraying at any sign of danger. The male plays no part in raising the young.[13]

### Diet

Skunks use their long claws to break apart rotting logs to find insects that live within them. They also use those claws to help dig for insects, which leaves behind pits, which are easy signs of foraging. The claws also help with pinning down live and active prey.[14]

Skunks are one of the primary predators of the honeybee, relying on their thick fur to protect them from stings. The skunk scratches at the front of the beehive and eats the guard bees that come out to investigate.[15] Mother skunks are known to teach this behavior to their young.

### Spray

Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) in a defensive posture with erect and puffed tail, indicating its readiness to spray Chemical structure of E-2-butenethiol, a major component of skunk spray.

Skunks are notorious for their use of stench compounds as defensive weapon. The spray consists of a mixture of organosulfur compounds that have an offensive odor.[16][17][18] A skunk's spray is powerful enough to ward off bears and other potential attackers.[19] Muscles located next to the scent glands allow them to spray with a high degree of accuracy, as far as 3 m (10 ft).[20] The spray can also cause irritation and even temporary blindness, and is sufficiently powerful to be detected by a human nose up to 5.6 km (3.5 miles) downwind.[21] Their chemical defense is effective, as illustrated by this extract from Charles Darwin's 1839 book The Voyage of the Beagle:

> We saw also a couple of Zorrillos, or skunks—odious animals, which are far from uncommon. In general appearance, the Zorrillo resembles a polecat, but it is rather larger and much thicker in proportion. Conscious of its power, it roams by day about the open plain and fears neither dog nor man. If a dog is urged to the attack, its courage is instantly checked by a few drops of the fetid oil, which brings on violent sickness and running at the nose. Whatever is once polluted by it, is forever useless. Azara says the smell can be perceived at a league distance; more than once, when entering the harbour of Monte Video, the wind being offshore, we have perceived the odour onboard the Beagle. Certain it is, that every animal most willingly makes room for the Zorrillo.[22]

Skunks carry just enough for five or six successive sprays – about 15 cm3 – and require up to ten days to produce another supply.[23] Their bold black and white coloration makes their appearance memorable. It is to a skunk's advantage to warn possible predators off without expending scent: black and white aposematic warning coloration aside, threatened skunks will go through an elaborate routine of hisses, foot-stamping, and tail-high deimatic or threat postures before resorting to spraying. Skunks usually do not spray other skunks, except among males in the mating season. If they fight over den space in autumn, they do so with teeth and claws.[24]

Most predators of the Americas, such as wolves, foxes, and badgers, seldom attack skunks, presumably out of fear of being sprayed. The exceptions are reckless predators whose attacks fail once they are sprayed, dogs, and the great horned owl,[25] which is the skunk's only regular predator.[26] In one case, the remains of 57 striped skunks were found in a single great horned owl nest.[27]

#### Mitigation

Skunks are common in suburban areas, and domestic dogs are often sprayed by skunks. There are many misconceptions about the removal of skunk odor, including the pervasive idea that tomato juice will neutralize the odor. These household remedies are ineffective, and only appear to work due to olfactory fatigue.[28] In 1993,[29] the American chemist Paul Krebaum developed a formula that chemically neutralizes skunk spray by changing the odor-causing thiols into odorless acids,[30] which is endorsed by the Humane Society of the United States for sprayed dogs.[31] It involves hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and liquid dish soap.

Skunk spray is composed mainly of three low-molecular-weight thiol compounds, (E)-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, and 2-quinolinemethanethiol, as well as acetate thioesters of these.[32][33][34][35][36][37] These compounds are detectable by the human nose at concentrations of only 11.3 parts per billion.[38][39]

## Relations with humans

### Bites

It is rare for a healthy skunk to bite a human, though a tame skunk whose scent glands have been removed (usually on behalf of those who will keep it as a pet) may defend itself by biting. There are, however, a few recorded incidents of skunks biting humans. Skunk bites in humans can result in infection with the rabies virus. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recorded 1,494 cases of rabies in skunks in the United States for the year 2006—about 21.5% of reported cases in all species.[40][41] Skunks in fact are less prominent than raccoons as vectors of rabies. (However, this varies regionally in the United States, with raccoons dominating along the Atlantic coast and the eastern Gulf of Mexico, while skunks instead predominate throughout the Midwest, including the western Gulf, and in California.)

### As pets

A tame striped skunk

Mephitis mephitis, the striped skunk, is the most social skunk and the one most commonly kept as a pet. In the US, skunks can legally be kept as pets in 17 states.[42] When a skunk is kept as a pet, its scent glands are often surgically removed.[42]

A pet albino skunk on a walk

In the UK, skunks can be kept as pets,[43] but the Animal Welfare Act 2006 made it illegal to remove their scent glands.[44]

## See also

* List of fictional musteloids
* Skunk oil

## Notes

1. ↑ French: L'autre est vn animal basset, de la grandeur des petits chiens, ou d'vn chat ; ie luy donne place icy, non pour son excellence, mais pour en faire vn symbole du peché ; i'en ay veu trois ou quatre. Il est d'vn poil noir assez beau et luisant, il porte sur son dos deux rayes toutes blanches, qui se ioignans vers le col et croche de la queuë, font une ouale qui luy donne tres belle grace ; la queuë est touffuë et bien fournie de poil, comme la queuë d'vn Regnard, il la porte retroussée, comme vn Escurieux, elle est plus blanche que noire : vous diriez à l'œil notamment quand il marche, qu'il meriteroit estre nommé le petit chien de Iupiter ; mais il est si puant, et iette vne odeur si empestée, qu'il est indigne d'estre appellé le chien de Pluton, il n'y a voirie si infecte ; ie ne l'aurois pas creu si ie ne l'auois senty moy mesme, le cœur vous manque quasi quand vous en approchez. On en a tué deux dans nostre court ; plusieurs iours apres il sentoit si mal par tout nostre maison, qu'on n'en pouuoit supporter l'odeur. Ie croy que le peché que sentit saincte Catherine de Sienne, deuoit estre de mesme puanteur.[6]

## References

1. ↑ "Old World skunk". 2 November 2015. https://retrieverman.net/2015/11/01/old-world-skunk/.
2. ↑ Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M., eds (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/biology/resources/msw3/browse.asp?id=14001521.
3. ↑ "skunk (n.)". Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/skunk.
4. ↑ Harper, Douglas. "skunk". Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/?term=skunk.
5. ↑ Thwaites, Reuben Gold, ed (1633–1634). The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents. Travels and Explorations of the Jesuit Missionaries in New France 1610—1791. VI. Quebec. http://puffin.creighton.edu/jesuit/relations/relations_06.html.
6. ↑ (in fr) Relations des Jésuites contenant ce qui s'est passé de plus remarquable dans les missions des Pères de la Compagnie de Jésus dans la Nouvelle-France. Québec: Augustin Coté. 1858. p. 212. http://archive.org/details/relationsdesjs01jesu.
7. ↑ "Skunk Fact Sheet" (in en). https://georgiawildlife.com/sites/default/files/wrd/pdf/fact-sheets/2005_skunk.pdf.
8. ↑ Brittingham, Margaret (June 23, 2006). "Skunks - Solutions to Common Problems". https://extension.psu.edu/skunks-solutions-to-common-problems#:~:text=The normal home range of,to 5 miles each night..
9. ↑ "Striped Skunk | Adirondack Ecological Center | SUNY ESF | College of Environmental Science and Forestry". https://www.esf.edu/aec/adks/mammals/striped_skunk.htm.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 ADW: Mephitis mephitis: INFORMATION. Animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu. Retrieved on 5 April 2012.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Virtual Nature Trail. Striped Skunk. The Pennsylvania State University (2002).
12. ↑ "Skunks Management Guidelines". http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74118.html.
13. ↑ "Eastern Spotted Skunk". https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/eastern-spotted-skunk.
14. ↑ "Striped Skunk | Adirondack Ecological Center | SUNY ESF | College of Environmental Science and Forestry". https://www.esf.edu/aec/adks/mammals/striped_skunk.htm.
15. ↑ April (2022-03-08). "Do Skunks Eat Bees? (If Yes, Why Do They?)" (in en-US). https://explorationsquared.com/do-skunks-eat-bees/.
16. ↑ "Periodic Graphics: What makes skunk spray stink?". https://cen.acs.org/biological-chemistry/Periodic-Graphics-makes-skunk-spray/103/web/2025/11.
17. ↑ "18 Interesting Facts About Skunks". Wildlife Informer. 17 May 2020. https://wildlifeinformer.com/facts-about-skunks/.
18. ↑ "Is That Skunk? Skunk Spray Chemistry". Nature. 24 August 2011. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/is-that-skunk-video-skunk-spray-chemistry/4553/.
19. ↑ "Ask a Bear: Skunk Spray as Deterrent?". 4 May 2011. https://www.backpacker.com/skills/ask-a-bear-skunk-spray-as-deterrent.
20. ↑ "Skunks: Notorious—or Not?" (in en). https://www.nwf.org/Home/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2017/April-May/Animals/Skunks.
21. ↑ "19 Stinky Skunk Facts" (in en-GB). https://factanimal.com/skunk/.
22. ↑ Darwin, Charles (1839). Voyage of the Beagle. London, England: Penguin. ISBN 0-14-043268-X. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3704. Retrieved June 27, 2006.
23. ↑ Biology and Control of Skunks. Agriculture and Rural Development. Government of Alberta, Canada. 1 June 2002
24. ↑ "Do Skunks Fight Each Other?". http://www.wildlife-removal.com/skunkfight.html#:~:text=In some situations, you will,each other in some situations..
25. ↑ "Oregon Zoo Animals: Great Horned Owl". http://www.oregonzoo.org/Cards/BirdsOfPrey/greathornedowl.htm.
26. ↑ "Great Horned Owl". The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/great_horned_owl/id|Cornell-.
27. ↑ Hunter, Luke (2011). Carnivores of the World. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-15228-8.
28. ↑ Is it true that tomato sauce will get rid of the smell of a skunk?. Scienceline. Retrieved on 5 April 2012.
29. ↑ Forbes, JE (March 1995). "The tip of the month" (in en). The Probe (Hopland, CA: National Animal Damage Control Association) (152): 2. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/17218498.pdf.
30. ↑ "Removing Skunk Odor". UNL Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. https://wildlife.unl.edu/pdfs/removing-skunk-odor.pdf.
31. ↑ "What to do when a skunk sprays your dog". The Humane Society of the United States. http://www.humanesociety.org/resources/de-skunking-your-dog.
32. ↑ Andersen K. K.; Bernstein D. T. (1978). "Some Chemical Constituents of the Scent of the Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)". Journal of Chemical Ecology 1 (4): 493–499. doi:10.1007/BF00988589.
33. ↑ Andersen K. K.; Bernstein D. T. (1978). "1-Butanethiol and the Striped Skunk". Journal of Chemical Education 55 (3): 159–160. doi:10.1021/ed055p159. Bibcode: 1978JChEd..55..159A.
34. ↑ Andersen K. K.; Bernstein D. T.; Caret R. L.; Romanczyk L. J. Jr. (1982). "Chemical Constituents of the Defensive Secretion of the Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)". Tetrahedron 38 (13): 1965–1970. doi:10.1016/0040-4020(82)80046-X.
35. ↑ Wood, William F. (1990). "New Components in Defensive Secretion of the Striped Skunk, Mephitis mephitis". J. Chemical Ecology 16 (6): 2057–2065. doi:10.1007/BF01020516. PMID 24264006. Bibcode: 1990JCEco..16.2057W.
36. ↑ Wood W. F.; Sollers B. G.; Dragoo G. A.; Dragoo J. W. (2002). "Volatile Components in Defensive Spray of the Hooded Skunk, Mephitis macroura". Journal of Chemical Ecology 28 (9): 1865–70. doi:10.1023/A:1020573404341. PMID 12449512. Bibcode: 2002JCEco..28.1865W.
37. ↑ Wood, William F.. "Chemistry of Skunk Spray". Dept. of Chemistry, Humboldt State University. http://users.humboldt.edu/wfwood/chemofskunkspray.html.
38. ↑ Wood, William F. (1999). "The History of Skunk Defensive Secretion Research". Chem. Educator 4 (2): 44–50. doi:10.1007/s00897990286a. http://chemeducator.org/sbibs/s0004002/spapers/420044ww.pdf.
39. ↑ Aldrich, T.B. (1896). "A chemical study of the secretion of the anal glands of mephitis mephitica (common skunk), with remarks on the physiological properties of this secretion". J. Exp. Med. 1 (2): 323–340. doi:10.1084/jem.1.2.323. PMID 19866801.
40. ↑ Blanton J.D.; Hanlon C.A.; Rupprecht C.E. (2007). "Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2006". Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 231 (4): 540–56. doi:10.2460/javma.231.4.540. PMID 17696853. ; Updated in "Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2013". J Am Vet Med Assoc 245 (10): 1111–23. 2014. doi:10.2460/javma.245.10.1111. PMID 25356711.
41. ↑ "Rabies Surveillance US 2006". U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/docs/rabies_surveillance_us_2006.pdf.
42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 "Is That Skunk? | Do Skunks Make Good Pets?". PBS. 20 November 2008. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/is-that-skunk-do-skunks-make-good-pets/4569/.
43. ↑ "A stink in the tale: Why Britain is swooning over the pet with a pong". The Independent. 23 April 2011. https://www.independent.co.uk/property/house-and-home/pets/features/a-stink-in-the-tale-why-britain-is-swooning-over-the-pet-with-a-pong-2273749.html.
44. ↑ "Animal Welfare Act 2006". http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2006/pdf/ukpga_20060045_en.pdf.

## External links

| Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Skunk.

|

* Skunks and the management of skunk damage;

* v
* t
* e

Extant Carnivora species

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Chordata
* Class: Mammalia
* Infraclass: Eutheria
* Superorder: Laurasiatheria

[[Feliformia|Feliformia Template:Normal]]

Feliformia

* African palm civet (Nandinia binotata)

Feloidea

| [[Asiatic linsang|Prionodon Template:Normal]]|

* Banded linsang (P. linsang)
* Spotted linsang (P. pardicolor)

|

[[Felidae|Felidae Template:Normal]]

| Pantherinae|

| Neofelis|

* Sunda clouded leopard (N. diardi)
* Clouded leopard (N. nebulosa)

|

Panthera|

* Snow leopard (P. uncia)
* Tiger (P. tigris)
* Jaguar (P. onca)
* Lion (P. leo)
* Leopard (P. pardus)

Felinae sensu stricto

| Bay cat
Template:Normal|

| Pardofelis|

* Marbled cat (P. marmorata)

|

Catopuma|

* Bay cat (C. badia)
* Asian golden cat (C. temminckii)

Caracal
Template:Normal|

* Serval (Leptailurus serval)

Caracal|

* African golden cat (C. aurata)
* Caracal (C. caracal)

Leopardus|

* Pampas cat (L. colocola)
* Geoffroy's cat (L. geoffroyi)
* Kodkod (L. guigna)
* Southern tiger cat (L. guttulus)
* Andean mountain cat (L. jacobita)
* Ocelot (L. pardalis)
* Oncilla (L. tigrinus)
* Margay (L. wiedii)

Lynx|

* Canada lynx (L. canadensis)
* Eurasian lynx (L. lynx)
* Iberian lynx (L. pardinus)
* Bobcat (L. rufus)

Puma
Template:Normal|

| Acinonyx|

* Cheetah (A. jubatus)

|

* Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi)

Puma|

* Cougar (P. concolor)

Leopard cat
Template:Normal|

* Pallas's cat (Otocolobus manul)

Prionailurus|

* Leopard cat (P. bengalensis)
* Sunda leopard cat (P. javanensis)
* Flat-headed cat (P. planiceps)
* Rusty-spotted cat (P. rubiginosus)
* Fishing cat (P. viverrinus)

Felis|

* Chinese mountain cat (F. bieti)
* Domestic cat (F. catus)
* Jungle cat (F. chaus)
* African wildcat (F. lybica)
* Sand cat (F. margarita)
* Black-footed cat (F. nigripes)
* European wildcat (F. silvestris)

Viverroidea|

*     * see below↓

Viverroidea

Viverridae

Template:Normal

| Hemigalinae|

* Owston's palm civet (Chrotogale owstoni)
* Otter civet (Cynogale bennettii)
* Hose's palm civet (Diplogale hosei)
* Banded palm civet (Hemigalus derbyanus)

|

Paradoxurinae|

* Binturong (Arctictis binturong)
* Small-toothed palm civet (Arctogalidia trivirgata)
* Sulawesi palm civet (Macrogalidia musschenbroekii)
* Masked palm civet (Paguma larvata)

Paradoxurus|

* Asian palm civet (P. hermaphroditus)
* Brown palm civet (P. jerdoni)
* Golden palm civet (P. zeylonensis)

Viverrinae sensu lato

| Viverrinae
sensu stricto|

* Small Indian civet (Viverricula indica)
* African civet (Civettictis civetta)

Viverra|

* Malabar large-spotted civet (V. civettina)
* Large-spotted civet (V. megaspila)
* Malayan civet (V. tangalunga)
* Large Indian civet (V. zibetha)

Genettinae

| [[Poiana (genus)|Poiana
Template:Normal]]|

* Central African oyan (P. richardsonii)
* West African oyan (P. leightoni)

|

[[Genet (animal)|Genetta
Template:Normal]]|

* Abyssinian genet (G. abyssinica)
* Angolan genet (G. angolensis)
* Bourlon's genet (G. bourloni)
* Crested servaline genet (G. cristata)
* South African small-spotted genet (G. felina)
* Common genet (G. genetta)
* Johnston's genet (G. johnstoni)
* Letaba genet (G. letabae)
* Rusty-spotted genet (G. maculata)
* Pardine genet (G. pardina)
* Aquatic genet (G. piscivora)
* King genet (G. poensis)
* Schouteden's genet (G. schoutedeni)
* Servaline genet (G. servalina)
* Hausa genet (G. thierryi)
* Cape genet (G. tigrina)
* Giant forest genet (G. victoriae)

| Herpestoidea|

*     * see below↓

|

Herpestoidea

| [[Hyena|Hyaenidae
Template:Normal]]|

| Proteles|

* Aardwolf (P. cristata)

|

[[Hyaeninae|Hyaeninae
Template:Normal]]|

* Striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena)
* Brown hyena (Parahyaena brunnea)

Crocuta|

* Spotted hyena (C. crocuta)

Herpestidae sensu lato

| [[Eupleridae|Eupleridae
Template:Normal]]|

| [[Euplerinae|Euplerinae
Template:Normal]]|

* Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox)
* Malagasy civet (Fossa fossana)

[[Eupleres|Eupleres Template:Normal]]|

* Eastern falanouc (E. goudotii)
* Western falanouc (E. major)

[[Galidiinae|Galidiinae
Template:Normal]]|

* Ring-tailed vontsira (Galidia elegans)

Galidictis|

* Broad-striped Malagasy mongoose (G. fasciata)
* Grandidier's mongoose (G. grandidieri)

* Narrow-striped mongoose (Mungotictis decemlineata)

Salanoia|

* Brown-tailed mongoose (S. concolor)
* Durrell's vontsira (S. durrelli)

Herpestidae sensu stricto Template:Normal

Mungotinae

| Suricata|

* Meerkat (S. suricatta)

|

* Liberian mongoose (Liberiictus kuhni)

Mungos|

* Gambian mongoose (M. gambianus)
* Banded mongoose (M. mungo)

* Pousargues's mongoose (Dologale dybowskii)

Helogale|

* Ethiopian dwarf mongoose (H. hirtula)
* Common dwarf mongoose (H. parvula)

[[Crossarchus|Crossarchus
Template:Normal]]|

* Alexander's kusimanse (C. alexandri)
* Angolan kusimanse (C. ansorgei)
* Common kusimanse (C. obscurus)
* Flat-headed kusimanse (C. platycephalus)

Herpestinae

* Marsh mongoose (Atilax paludinosus)
* Long-nosed mongoose (Xenogale naso)

[[Urva (genus)|Urva
Template:Normal]]|

* Small Indian mongoose (U. auropunctata)
* Short-tailed mongoose (U. brachyura)
* Indian grey mongoose (U. edwardsii)
* Indian brown mongoose (U. fusca)
* Javan mongoose (U. javanica)
* Collared mongoose (U. semitorquata)
* Ruddy mongoose (U. smithii)
* Crab-eating mongoose (U. urva)
* Stripe-necked mongoose (U. vitticolla)

* White-tailed mongoose (Ichneumia albicauda)
* Yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata)
* Selous's mongoose (Paracynictis selousi)
* Meller's mongoose (Rhynchogale melleri)

Bdeogale|

* Bushy-tailed mongoose (B. crassicauda)
* Jackson's mongoose (B. jacksoni)
* Black-footed mongoose (B. nigripes)

[[Herpestes|Herpestes
Template:Normal]]|

* Angolan slender mongoose (H. flavescens)
* Egyptian mongoose (H. ichneumon)
* Somalian slender mongoose (H. ochracea)
* Cape gray mongoose (H. pulverulenta)
* Common slender mongoose (H. sanguinea)

[[Caniformia|Caniformia Template:Normal]]

[[Canidae|Canidae Template:Normal]]

| Urocyon|

* Gray fox (U. cinereoargenteus)
* Island fox (U. littoralis)

|

Vulpini

* Bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis)

[[Nyctereutes|Nyctereutes
Template:Normal]]|

* Common raccoon dog (N. procyonoides)
* Japanese raccoon dog (N. viverrinus)

Vulpes
(true foxes)|

* Bengal fox (V. bengalensis)
* Blanford's fox (V. cana)
* Cape fox (V. chama)
* Corsac fox (V. corsac)
* Tibetan fox (V. ferrilata)
* Arctic fox (V. lagopus)
* Kit fox (V. macrotis)
* Pale fox (V. pallida)
* Rüppell's fox (V. rueppelli)
* Swift fox (V. velox)
* Red fox (V. vulpes)
* Fennec fox (V. zerda)

[[Canini (tribe)|Canini Template:Normal]]

[[Cerdocyonina|Cerdocyonina
Template:Normal]]

* Maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)

Speothos|

* Bush dog (S. venaticus)

* Short-eared dog (Atelocynus microtis)
* Crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous)

[[South American fox|Lycalopex
Template:Normal]]|

* Culpeo (L. culpaeus)
* Darwin's fox (L. fulvipes)
* South American gray fox (L. griseus)
* Pampas fox (L. gymnocercus)
* Sechuran fox (L. sechurae)
* Hoary fox (L. vetulus)

[[Canina (subtribe)|Canina
Template:Normal]]

| Lupulella|

* Side-striped jackal (L. adustus)
* Black-backed jackal (L. mesomelas)

|

Lycaon|

* African wild dog (L. pictus)

* Dhole (Cuon alpinus)

Canis|

* Golden jackal (C. aureus)
* Domestic dog (C. familiaris)
* Coyote (C. latrans)
* African wolf (C. lupaster)
* Wolf (C. lupus)
* Eastern wolf (C. lycaon)
* Red wolf (C. rufus)
* Ethiopian wolf (C. simensis)

Arctoidea

[[Bear|Ursidae Template:Normal]]

| Ailuropoda|

* Giant panda (A. melanoleuca)

|

Tremarctos|

* Spectacled bear (T. ornatus)

Ursinae|

* Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)
* Sun bear (Helarctos malayanus)

Ursus|

* American black bear (U. americanus)
* Asian black bear (U. thibetanus)
* Brown bear (U. arctos)
* Polar bear (U. maritimus)

| Mustelida|

| [[Pinniped|Pinnipedia Template:Normal]]|

*     * see below↓

|

Musteloidea|

*     * see below↓

[[Pinniped|Pinnipedia Template:Normal]]

| Odobenidae|

* Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)

|

[[Eared seal|Otariidae Template:Normal]]

| Callorhinus
Template:Normal|

* Northern fur seal (C. ursinus)

|

Otariinae
Template:Normal|

* Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus)

Zalophus|

* California sea lion (Z. californianus)
* Galápagos sea lion (Z. wollebaeki)

* South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens)

Neophoca|

* Australian sea lion (N. cinerea)

* New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri)

Arctocephalus
Template:Normal|

* South American fur seal (A. australis)
* Australasian fur seal (A. forsteri)
* Galápagos fur seal (A. galapagoensis)
* Antarctic fur seal (A. gazella)
* Juan Fernández fur seal (A. philippii)
* Brown fur seal (A. pusillus)
* Guadalupe fur seal (A. townsendi)
* Subantarctic fur seal (A. tropicalis)

[[Earless seal|Phocidae Template:Normal]]

[[Phocinae|Phocinae
Template:Normal]]

* Bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus)
* Hooded seal (Cystophora cristata)

Phocini

* Harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus)
* Ribbon seal (Histriophoca fasciata)
* Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus)

Phoca|

* Spotted seal (P. largha)
* Harbor seal (P. vitulina)

Pusa|

* Caspian seal (P. caspica)
* Ringed seal (P. hispida)
* Baikal seal (P. sibirica)

[[Monachinae|Monachinae
Template:Normal]]

| [[Monk seal|Monachini
Template:Normal]]|

* Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus)

Neomonachus|

* Hawaiian monk seal (N. schauinslandi)

[[Elephant seal|Mirounga
Template:Normal]]|

* Northern elephant seal (M. angustirostris)
* Southern elephant seal (M. leonina)

[[Lobodontini|Lobodontini
Template:Normal]]|

* Leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx)
* Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii)
* Crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophagus)
* Ross seal (Ommatophoca rossi)

Musteloidea

| Ailuridae|

* Red panda (Ailurus fulgens)

|

Mephitidae (skunks)

| [[Hog-nosed skunk|Conepatus
Template:Normal]]|

* Molina's hog-nosed skunk (C. chinga)
* Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk (C. humboldtii)
* American hog-nosed skunk (C. leuconotus)
* Striped hog-nosed skunk (C. semistriatus)

|

Mephitis|

* Hooded skunk (M. macroura)
* Striped skunk (M. mephitis)

[[Stink badger|Mydaus
Template:Normal]]|

* Sunda stink badger (M. javanensis)
* Palawan stink badger (M. marchei)

[[Spotted skunk|Spilogale
Template:Normal]]|

* Southern spotted skunk (S. angustifrons)
* Western spotted skunk (S. gracilis)
* Eastern spotted skunk (S. putorius)
* Pygmy spotted skunk (S. pygmaea)

Procyonidae

* Kinkajou (Potos flavus)

Bassariscus|

* Ringtail (B. astutus)
* Cacomistle (B. sumichrasti)

[[Procyon (genus)|Procyon
Template:Normal]]|

* Crab-eating raccoon (P. cancrivorus)
* Raccoon (P. lotor)
* Cozumel raccoon (P. pygmaeus)

[[Bassaricyon|Bassaricyon
Template:Normal]]|

* Eastern lowland olingo (B. alleni)
* Northern olingo (B. gabbii)
* Western lowland olingo (B. medius)
* Olinguito (B. neblina)

[[Coati|Nasuina
Template:Normal]]|

| Nasua|

* White-nosed coati (N. narica)
* South American coati (N. nasua)

|

[[Nasuella|Nasuella
Template:Normal]]|

* Eastern mountain coati (N. meridensis)
* Western mountain coati (N. olivacea)

| Mustelidae|

*     * see below↓

|

Mustelidae

Mustelidae

* American badger (Taxidea taxus)

Mellivora|

* Honey badger (M. capensis)

Melinae

| [[Hog badger|Arctonyx
Template:Normal]]|

* Northern hog badger (A. albogularis)
* Greater hog badger (A. collaris)
* Sumatran hog badger (A. hoevenii)

|

[[Meles (genus)|Meles
Template:Normal]]|

* Japanese badger (M. anakuma)
* Caucasian badger (M. canescens)
* Asian badger (M. leucurus)
* European badger (M. meles)

[[Ferret-badger|Melogale
Template:Normal]]|

* Vietnam ferret-badger (M. cucphuongensis)
* Bornean ferret badger (M. everetti)
* Chinese ferret-badger (M. moschata)
* Javan ferret-badger (M. orientalis)
* Burmese ferret-badger (M. personata)
* Formosan ferret-badger (M. subaurantiaca)

Guloninae

* Tayra (Eira barbara)

Pekania|

* Fisher (P. pennanti)

Gulo|

* Wolverine (G. gulo)

[[Marten|Martes
Template:Normal]]|

* American marten (M. americana)
* Pacific marten (M. caurina)
* Yellow-throated marten (M. flavigula)
* Beech marten (M. foina)
* Nilgiri marten (M. gwatkinsii)
* European pine marten (M. martes)
* Japanese marten (M. melampus)
* Sable (M. zibellina)

Ictonychinae

| Lyncodontini|

* Patagonian weasel (Lyncodon patagonicus)

[[Galictis|Galictis
Template:Normal]]|

* Lesser grison (G. cuja)
* Greater grison (G. vittata)

[[Ictonychini|Ictonychini
Template:Normal]]|

| Vormela|

* Marbled polecat (V. peregusna)

|

* African striped weasel (Poecilogale albinucha)

Ictonyx|

* Saharan striped polecat (I. libycus)
* Striped polecat (I. striatus)

[[Otter|Lutrinae Template:Normal]]

* Giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis)

Lontra|

* North American river otter (L. canadensis)
* Marine otter (L. felina)
* Neotropical otter (L. longicaudis)
* Southern river otter (L. provocax)

Enhydra|

* Sea otter (E. lutris)

* Spotted-necked otter (Hydrictis maculicollis)

Lutra|

* Eurasian otter (L. lutra)
* Hairy-nosed otter (L. sumatrana)

Lutrogale|

* Smooth-coated otter (L. perspicillata)

Aonyx|

* African clawless otter (A. capensis)
* Asian small-clawed otter (A. cinereus)
* Congo clawless otter (A. congicus)

Mustelinae

| [[Neogale|Neogale
Template:Normal]]|

* Amazon weasel (N. africana)
* Colombian weasel (N. felipei)
* Long-tailed weasel (N. frenata)
* American mink (N. vison)

|

[[Weasel|Mustela
Template:Normal]]

| Template:Normal Mustela
Template:Normal|

* Sichuan weasel (M. aistoodonnivalis)
* Mountain weasel (M. altaica)
* Stoat/Beringian ermine (M. erminea)
* Haida ermine (M. haidarum)
* Yellow-bellied weasel (M. kathiah)
* Least weasel (M. nivalis)
* American ermine (M. richardsonii)

|

Template:Normal Lutreola
Template:Normal|

* Japanese weasel (M. itatsi)
* European mink (M. lutreola)
* Indonesian mountain weasel (M. lutreolina)
* Malayan weasel (M. nudipes)
* Siberian weasel (M. sibirica)
* Back-striped weasel (M. strigidorsa)

Template:Normal Putorius|

* Steppe polecat (M. eversmannii)
* Ferret (M. furo)
* Black-footed ferret (M. nigripes)
* European polecat (M. putorius)

* See also: Mink
* Polecat

0.00

(0 votes)

Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk. Read more

|

Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Biology:Skunk&oldid=4322416"
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template