Molina's hog-nosed skunk
Species of carnivore
Molina's hog-nosed skunk | |
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Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Family: | Mephitidae |
Genus: | Conepatus |
Species: |
C.
chinga
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Binomial name | |
Conepatus chinga
(
Molina
, 1782)
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Molina's hog-nosed skunk range |
Molina's hog-nosed skunk , also called the Andes skunk ( Conepatus chinga ), is a skunk species from South America . It is found in Argentina , Bolivia , Brazil , Chile , Peru , Paraguay , and Uruguay , at elevations up to 5000 m.
Habitat
The Molina's hog-nosed skunk's native range is throughout mid to southern South America, Chile, Peru, northern Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and southern Brazil. [2] The mammal is therefore associated with temperate regions and open areas, mainly described as the Pampas biome [3] and preferring to live in open vegetation, shrub forest and rocky sloped areas. [2]
Population and distribution
Typically they will live alone in an average home range size of about 1.66 individuals/km 2 with some overlapping and about six skunks per 3.5 km 2 . [4] Although living in mostly solitary areas, the skunks will come together temporarily for mating purposes. [2]
Diet
Foraging mainly at night, the skunk is omnivorous, eating birds, small mammals, eggs, insects, leaves, and fruit. The tooth morphology in the Molina's hog-nosed skunk, is different from most mammals in that their teeth are adapted to their omnivorous diet with grinding being the main function of the carnassial apparatus. [5]
Conservation status
The skunk is listed as "least concern" according to the IUCN Red List . The main threats to the skunk are increased habitat destruction and fragmentation [6] from over exploitation of humans and grazing in agriculture. The skunk is also affected by the planning of new roads and road-kills. Due to improper planning, habitat destruction, and fragmentation, the skunk has started living around man-made structures and along fences and buildings. [6]
References
- ↑ 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 . Retrieved 19 November 2021 .
- 1 2 3 Afflerbaugh, Kevin (2002). "Conepatus chinga" . Animal Diversity Web . Retrieved September 10, 2013 .
- ↑ Kasper, Carlos B.; et al. (2012). "Differential patterns of home-range, net displacement and resting sites use of Conepatus chinga in southern Brazil". Mammalian Biology . 77 (5): 358–362. doi : 10.1016/j.mambio.2012.03.006 .
- ↑ Castillo, D. F.; et al. (2011). "Spatial organization of Molina's hog-nosed skunk ( Conepatus chinga ) in two landscapes of the Pampas grassland of Argentina". Canadian Journal of Zoology . 89 (3): 229–238. doi : 10.1139/Z10-110 .
-
↑
Peters, Felipe Bortolotto; et
al. (April 2011).
"Feeding Habits of Molina's Hog-Nosed Skunk,
Conepatus Chinga
(Carnivora: Mephitidae) In The Extreme South of Brazil"
.
Zoologia (Curitiba)
.
28
(2): 193.
doi
:
10.1590/S1984-46702011000200006
.
The grinding function of the carnassial ap-paratus in skunks ( Vaughan et al . 1999) is considered to be appropriate for a diet with a predominance of beetles: small prey that offer lower physical resistance.
-
1
2
Castillo, Diego F.; et
al. (July 2011). "Denning ecology of Molina's hog-nosed skunk in a farmland area in the Pampas grassland of Argentina".
Ecological Research
. The Ecological Society of Japan.
26
(4): 845–850.
doi
:
10.1007/s11284-011-0855-y
.
S2CID
35862526
.
Increasing habitat destruction and fragmentation has a tremendous influence on mesocarnivore communities.
Extant species of family
Mephitidae
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Conepatus | |
Mydaus | |
Mephitis | |
Spilogale | |