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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.
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 ...
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 ...
Spotted skunks can live 10 years in captivity, but in the wild, about half the skunks die after 1 or 2 years. Conservation The eastern spotted skunk, S. putorius , is a conservation concern.
Each female skunk typically has one litter, while male skunks can father multiple litters. Usually, each litter produces four to six baby skunks in May or June. Baby skunks are called kits.
Recent work has concluded the western hog-nosed skunk (formerly Conepatus mesoleucus) is the same species, and Conepatus leuconotus is the correct name of the merged populations. [3] In Texas, it is commonly known as the rooter skunk for its habit of rooting and overturning rocks and debris in search of food.
The striped skunk is a stoutly-built, short-limbed animal with a small, conical head and a long, heavily furred tail. [12] Adult males are 10% larger than females, with both sexes measuring between 52–77 centimetres (20–30 in) in total body length and usually weighing 1.8–4.5 kg (4.0–9.9 lb), though some may weigh 5.5 kg (12 lb). [ 10 ]
The hooded skunk (Mephitis macroura) is a species of mammal in the family Mephitidae. Mephītis in Latin means "foul odor", μακρός ( makrós ) in Greek translates to "long" and οὐρά ( ourá ) translates to "tail".