List of mephitids

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. Mephetids in general are not domesticated, though skunks are sometimes kept as pets.^[1]

The twelve species of Mephitidae are split into four

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.

• Genus
  Conepatus
  (hog-nosed skunks): four species
• Genus Mephitis (skunks): two species
• Genus
  Mydaus
  : (stink badgers): two species
• Genus
  Spilogale
  : (spotted skunks): four 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 name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
American hog-nosed skunk	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	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 [4]
Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk	C. humboldtii Gray, 1837 Three subspecies C. h. castaneus C. h. humboldtii C. h. proteus	Southern tip of South America	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 [6]
Molina's hog-nosed skunk	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	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 [7]
Striped hog-nosed skunk	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	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 [8]

Genus Mephitis – Geoffroy, 1795 – two species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Hooded skunk	M. macroura Lichtenstein, 1832 Four subspecies M. m. eximius M. m. macroura M. m. milleri M. m. richardsoni	Mexico and Central America	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 [10]
Striped skunk	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	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 [12]

Genus

Mydaus – F. Cuvier

, 1821 – two species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Palawan stink badger	M. marchei Huet, 1887	Western Philippines	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 [13]
Sunda stink badger	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	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 [15]

Genus

Spilogale – Gray

, 1865 – four species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Eastern spotted skunk	S. putorius (Linnaeus, 1758) Three subspecies S. p. ambarvalis S. p. interrupta S. p. putorius	Eastern United States	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 [17]
Pygmy spotted skunk	S. pygmaea Thomas, 1897 Three subspecies S. p. australis S. p. intermedia S. p. pygmaea	West coast of Mexico	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 [19]
Southern spotted skunk	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	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 [20]
Western spotted skunk	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	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 [21]

References