Mephitidae

Family of mammals

Mephitidae

Temporal range: Middle Miocene to present

PreꞒ

Molina's hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus chinga), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), Sunda stink badger (Mydaus javanensis) and western spotted skunk (Spilogale gracilis)
Scientific classification
Domain:  | Eukaryota
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Mammalia
Order:  | Carnivora
Superfamily:  | Musteloidea
Family:  | Mephitidae
Bonaparte, 1845
Type genus
Mephitis

Geoffroy and Cuvier, 1795

Genera

Conepatus
Mydaus
Mephitis
Spilogale
†Brachyprotoma
†Palaeomephitis
†Promephitis

Mephitidae range

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 the 1990s, genetic evidence caused skunks to be treated as a separate family.[1] 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)[citation needed].

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 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.[2][3][4]

In taxonomic order, the living species of Mephitidae are:[5]

## Genera[edit]

Main article: List of mephitids

Image | Genus | Living Species

|
|

| Mydaus Cuvier, 1821 |

* Mydaus javanensis – Indonesian or Sunda stink badger (Teledu)
* Mydaus marchei – Palawan stink badger

| Conepatus Gray, 1837 |

* 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

| Spilogale Gray, 1865 |

* Spilogale angustifrons – southern spotted skunk
* Spilogale gracilis – western spotted skunk
* Spilogale putorius – eastern spotted skunk
* Spilogale pygmaea – pygmy spotted skunk

| Mephitis É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire and Cuvier, 1795 |

* Mephitis macroura – hooded skunk
* Mephitis mephitis – striped skunk

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Wild Skunk Information". Dragoo Institute for the Betterment of Skunks and Skunk Reputations. 7 March 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
2. ^ Xiaoming Wang; Zhanxiang Qiu (2004). "Late Miocene Promephitis (Carnivora, Mephitidae) from China". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 24 (3): 721–731. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2004)024[0721:LMPCMF]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 21714530.
3. ^ Koepfli KP, Deere KA, Slater GJ, et al. (2008). "Multigene phylogeny of the Mustelidae: Resolving relationships, tempo and biogeographic history of a mammalian adaptive radiation". BMC Biol. 6: 4–5. doi:10.1186/1741-7007-6-10. PMC 2276185. PMID 18275614.
4. ^ Mammal Species of the World – Browse: Mephitidae . Bucknell.edu. Retrieved on April 5, 2012.
5. ^ 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.

* v
* t
* e

Extant species of family Mephitidae

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Chordata
* Class: Mammalia
* Order: Carnivora
* Suborder: Caniformia

Conepatus|

* Western hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus mesoleucus)
* Eastern hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus leuconotus)
* Striped hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus semistriatus)
* Molina's hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus chinga)
* Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus humboldtii)

Mydaus|

* Sunda stink badger (Mydaus javanensis)
* Palawan stink badger (Mydaus marchei)

Mephitis|

* Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
* Hooded skunk (Mephitis macroura)

Spilogale|

* Western spotted skunk (Spilogale gracilis)
* Eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius)
* Pygmy spotted skunk (Spilogale pygmaea)

Category

* v
* t
* e

Extant Carnivora species

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

Suborder Feliformia

| Nandiniidae|

| Nandinia|

* African palm civet (N. binotata)

|

Herpestidae
(Mongooses)|

| Atilax|

* Marsh mongoose (A. paludinosus)

|

Bdeogale|

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

Crossarchus|

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

Cynictis|

* Yellow mongoose (C. penicillata)

Dologale|

* Pousargues's mongoose (D. dybowskii)

Helogale|

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

Herpestes|

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

Ichneumia|

* White-tailed mongoose (I. albicauda)

Liberiictus|

* Liberian mongoose (L. kuhni)

Mungos|

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

Paracynictis|

* Selous's mongoose (P. selousi)

Rhynchogale|

* Meller's mongoose (R. melleri)

Suricata|

* Meerkat (S. suricatta)

Urva|

* 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)

Xenogale|

* Long-nosed mongoose (X. naso)

Hyaenidae
(Hyenas)|

| Crocuta|

* Spotted hyena (C. crocuta)

|

Hyaena|

* Striped hyena (H. hyaena)

Parahyaena|

* Brown hyena (P. brunnea)

Proteles|

* Aardwolf (P. cristata)

Felidae|

Large family listed below

Viverridae|

Large family listed below

Eupleridae|

Small family listed below

Family Felidae

| Felinae|

| Acinonyx|

* Cheetah (A. jubatus)

|

Caracal|

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

Catopuma|

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

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)

Herpailurus|

* Jaguarundi (H. yagouaroundi)

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)
* Nariño cat (L. narinensis)

Leptailurus|

* Serval (L. serval)

Lynx|

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

Otocolobus|

* Pallas's cat (O. manul)

Pardofelis|

* Marbled cat (P. marmorata)

Prionailurus|

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

Puma|

* Cougar (P. concolor)

Pantherinae|

| Panthera|

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

|

Neofelis|

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

Prionodontidae

| Prionodon|

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

|

Family Viverridae

| Paradoxurinae|

| Arctictis|

* Binturong (A. binturong)

|

Arctogalidia|

* Small-toothed palm civet (A. trivirgata)

Macrogalidia|

* Sulawesi palm civet (M. musschenbroekii)

Paguma|

* Masked palm civet (P. larvata)

Paradoxurus|

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

Hemigalinae|

| Chrotogale|

* Owston's palm civet (C. owstoni)

|

Cynogale|

* Otter civet (C. bennettii)

Diplogale|

* Hose's palm civet (D. hosei)

Hemigalus|

* Banded palm civet (H. derbyanus)

Viverrinae|

| Civettictis|

* African civet (C. civetta)

|

Viverra|

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

Viverricula|

* Small Indian civet (V. indica)

Genettinae|

| Genetta
(Genets)|

* Abyssinian genet (G. abyssinica)
* Angolan genet (G. angolensis)
* Bourlon's genet (G. bourloni)
* Crested servaline genet (G. cristata)
* 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)
* Servaline genet (G. servalina)
* Hausa genet (G. thierryi)
* Cape genet (G. tigrina)
* Giant forest genet (G. victoriae)
* South African small-spotted genet (G. felina)

|

Poiana|

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

Family Eupleridae

| Euplerinae|

| Cryptoprocta|

* Fossa (C. ferox)

|

Eupleres|

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

Fossa|

* Malagasy civet (F. fossana)

Galidiinae|

| Galidia|

* Ring-tailed vontsira (G. elegans)

|

Galidictis|

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

Mungotictis|

* Narrow-striped mongoose (M. decemlineata)

Salanoia|

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

Suborder Caniformia (cont. below)

| Ursidae
(Bears)|

| Ailuropoda|

* Giant panda (A. melanoleuca)

|

Helarctos|

* Sun bear (H. malayanus)

Melursus|

* Sloth bear (M. ursinus)

Tremarctos|

* Spectacled bear (T. ornatus)

Ursus|

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

Mephitidae
(Skunks)|

| Conepatus
(Hog-nosed
skunks)|

* 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)

Mydaus|

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

Spilogale
(Spotted skunks)|

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

Procyonidae
(Raccoons, coatis, olingos)|

| Bassaricyon
(Olingos)|

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

|

Bassariscus|

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

Nasua
(Coatis inclusive)|

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

Nasuella
(Coatis inclusive)|

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

Potos|

* Kinkajou (P. flavus)

Procyon|

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

Ailuridae|

| Ailurus|

* Red panda (A. fulgens)

|

Suborder Caniformia (cont. above)

| Otariidae
(Eared seals)
(includes fur seals
and sea lions)
(Pinniped inclusive)|

| Arctocephalus|

* 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)

|

Callorhinus|

* Northern fur seal (C. ursinus)

Eumetopias|

* Steller sea lion (E. jubatus)

Neophoca|

* Australian sea lion (N. cinerea)

Otaria|

* South American sea lion (O. flavescens)

Phocarctos|

* New Zealand sea lion (P. hookeri)

Zalophus|

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

Odobenidae
(Pinniped inclusive)|

| Odobenus|

* Walrus (O. rosmarus)

|

Phocidae
(Earless seals)
(Pinniped inclusive)|

| Cystophora|

* Hooded seal (C. cristata)

|

Erignathus|

* Bearded seal (E. barbatus)

Halichoerus|

* Grey seal (H. grypus)

Histriophoca|

* Ribbon seal (H. fasciata)

Hydrurga|

* Leopard seal (H. leptonyx)

Leptonychotes|

* Weddell seal (L. weddellii)

Lobodon|

* Crabeater seal (L. carcinophagus)

Mirounga
(Elephant seals)|

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

Monachus|

* Mediterranean monk seal (M. monachus)

Neomonachus|

* Hawaiian monk seal (N. schauinslandi)

Ommatophoca|

* Ross seal (O. rossi)

Pagophilus|

* Harp seal (P. groenlandicus)

Phoca|

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

Pusa|

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

Canidae|

Large family listed below

Mustelidae|

Large family listed below

Family Canidae (includes dogs)

| Atelocynus|

* Short-eared dog (A. microtis)

|

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)

Cerdocyon|

* Crab-eating fox (C. thous)

Chrysocyon|

* Maned wolf (C. brachyurus)

Cuon|

* Dhole (C. alpinus)

Lupulella|

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

Lycalopex|

* 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)

Lycaon|

* African wild dog (L. pictus)

Nyctereutes|

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

Otocyon|

* Bat-eared fox (O. megalotis)

Speothos|

* Bush dog (S. venaticus)

Urocyon|

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

Vulpes
(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)

Family Mustelidae

| Helictidinae
(Ferret-badgers)|

| Melogale|

* 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
(Martens and wolverines)|

| Eira|

* Tayra (E. barbara)

|

Gulo|

* Wolverine (G. gulo)

Martes
(Martens)|

* 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)

Pekania|

* Fisher (P. pennanti)

Ictonychinae
(African polecats and grisons)|

| Galictis|

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

|

Ictonyx|

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

Lyncodon|

* Patagonian weasel (L. patagonicus)

Poecilogale|

* African striped weasel (P. albinucha)

Vormela|

* Marbled polecat (V. peregusna)

Lutrinae
(Otters)|

| Aonyx|

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

|

Enhydra|

* Sea otter (E. lutris)

Hydrictis|

* Spotted-necked otter (H. maculicollis)

Lontra|

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

Lutra|

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

Lutrogale|

* Smooth-coated otter (L. perspicillata)

Pteronura|

* Giant otter (P. brasiliensis)

Melinae
(Eurasian badgers)|

| Arctonyx|

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

|

Meles|

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

Mellivorinae|

| Mellivora|

* Honey badger (M. capensis)

|

Mustelinae
(Weasels and minks)|

| Mustela
(Weasels and ferrets)|

* Sichuan weasel (M. aistoodonnivalis)
* Mountain weasel (M. altaica)
* Stoat/Beringian ermine (M. erminea)
* Steppe polecat (M. eversmannii)
* Ferret (M. furo)
* Haida ermine (M. haidarum)
* Japanese weasel (M. itatsi)
* Yellow-bellied weasel (M. kathiah)
* European mink (M. lutreola)
* Indonesian mountain weasel (M. lutreolina)
* Black-footed ferret (M. nigripes)
* Least weasel (M. nivalis)
* Malayan weasel (M. nudipes)
* European polecat (M. putorius)
* American ermine (M. richardsonii)
* Siberian weasel (M. sibirica)
* Back-striped weasel (M. strigidorsa)

|

Neogale|

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

Taxidiinae|

| Taxidea|

* American badger (T. taxus)

|

Taxon identifiers|

* Wikidata: Q83244
* Wikispecies: Mephitidae
* ADW: Mephitidae
* BOLD: 1353
* CoL: CLQ
* EoL: 7671
* EPPO: 1MEPHF
* Fossilworks: 104743
* GBIF: 9679
* iNaturalist: 41871
* IRMNG: 107030
* ITIS: 552336
* MSW: 14001521
* NCBI: 119825

|

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