macroscelides is a genus of small shrew-like animals , the round-eared sengis ( also called elephant shrews ) , found in western namibia and in south africa ; they are members of the clade afrotheria .

there are three known species : namib round-eared sengi , macroscelides flavicaudatus etendaka round-eared sengi , macroscelides micus , which is only found in gravel plains in the etendaka formation of north-west namibia karoo round-eared sengi , or short-eared elephant shrew , macroscelides proboscideus

macroscelides

macroscelides typus a . smith , 1829 ( = sorex proboscideus shaw , 1800 ) .
species account of macroscelides proboscideus on the animal diversity web ( the university of michigan museum of zoology ) .
namib round - eared sengi ( macroscelides flavicaudatus ) from wlotzkasbaken , namibia . may 2000 . photo : g . rathbun
unger , r . , h . kratochvil . 1999 . feeding preferences of short - eared elephant shrews ( macroscelides proboscideus , smith 1829 ) .
to cite this page : dohring , a . 2002 .
macroscelides proboscideus
( on - line ) , animal diversity web . accessed july 09 , 2018 at urltoken
to cite this page : dr . ted macrini , 2004 ,
macroscelides proboscideus
( on - line ) , digital morphology . accessed july 9 , 2018 at urltoken
macroscelides proboscideus , the short - eared elephant shrew , is one of 15 extant species of the clade macroscelidea . elephant shrews are small mammals ( head and body length : 95 - 315 mm ) characterized by long slender tails ( length : 80 - 265 mm ) , long slender legs , and a long , narrow , semi - flexible snout from which the name derives ( nowak , 1991 ) .
we investigated the state of dental eruption in specimens of macroscelides proboscideus and erinaceus europaeus of known age . when m . proboscideus reaches adult size and sexual maturity , few or none of its replaced permanent cheek teeth have erupted . the approximate sequence of upper tooth eruption is p1 , [ i3 , c , m1 ] , [ i1–2 ] , m2 , p4 , [ p2 , p3 ] . chronologically , e . europaeus erupts its molars and most premolars prior to m . proboscideus ; but its first two upper incisors erupt after those of m . proboscideus , and its canines erupt around the same time . the approximate sequence of upper tooth eruption in e . europaeus is [ m1 , m2 , p2 , i3 ] , c , m3 , p4 , p3 , i2 , i1 . unlike m . proboscideus , e . europaeus does not reach adult size until all permanent teeth except for the anterior incisors have erupted . while not unique among mammals , the attainment of adult body size prior to complete eruption of the permanent cheek teeth is particularly common among macroscelidids and other afrotherians .
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click on images for enlargement . click here to see the gallery of photos for the newly discovered gray faced sengi .
golden - rumped sengi rhynchocyon chrysopygus weight = 550 g . gedi ruins , kenya photo : galen rathbun
black and rufous sengi rhynchocyon petersi minja forest reserve , north pare mountains , tanzania . 28 july 2006 photo : bill stanley
checkered sengi rhynchocyon cirnei ( camera trap image ) burigi game reserve , kagera , tanzania . june 2007 photo : charles foley , tanzania mammal atlas project
checkered sengi rhynchocyon cirnei ( camera trap of likely estrus female followed by male ) burigi game reserve , kagera , tanzania . june 2007 photo : charles foley , tanzania mammal atlas project
checkered sengi rhynchocyon cirnei mareja community reserve , pemba , cabo delgado province , mozambique . 16 june 2011 . photo : galen rathbun
short - snouted sengi elephantulus brachyrhynchus weight : 50 g . mankwe wildlife reserve , northwest province , south africa photo : richard yarnell
short - snouted sengi elephantulus brachyrhynchus weight : 45 g . zambezi province ( caprivi strip ) , namibia photo : galen rathbun
cape rock sengi elephantulus edwardii weight = 50 g . traveller’s rest , clanwilliam , northern cape province , south africa photo : galen rathbun
karoo rock sengi elephantulus pilicaudus weight = 50 g . loxton , northern cape province , south africa photo : galen rathbun
bushveld sengi elephantulus intufi weight = 40g . zwartmodder farm , maltahohe district , namibia photo : jack dumbacher
bushveld sengi elephantulus intufi weight = 40g . windpoort farm , outjo , namibia photo : galen rathbun
eastern rock sengi elephantulus myurus weight = 50 g . matopos national park , zimbabwe , august 1982 photo : tim osborne
eastern rock sengi elephantulus myurus weight = 50 g . weenen game reserve , kwazulu - natal province , south africa photo : david ribble
north african sengi petrosaltator rozeti weight : 50 g midlet , morocco photo : g . rathbun
rufous sengi elephantulus rufescens mother and young resting on trail through leaf litter . kibwezi , kenya photo : galen rathbun
rufous sengi elephantulus rufescens neonate - one day old . photo : gene maliniak , national zoological park
western rock sengi elephantulus rupestris weight = 50 g . rehoboth , namibia photo : galen rathbun
western rock sengi elephantulus rupestris weight = 50 g . namibrand nature reserve , namibia photo : jack dumbacher
western rock sengi elephantulus rupestris weight = 50 g . captive eating a grasshopper . photo : chris and tilde stuart
the short - eared elephant shrew mostly inhabits namibia , southern botswana , and south africa .
the animal only lives in desert and semi - desert areas of the countries in which it is found . it hides in the sparse grass cover or bushes that are a part of these dry areas . they also burrow into the sand .
compared to members of the other elephant shrew genus , the short - eared elephant shrew has shorter and rounder ears and lacks the pale rings around the eyes that are typical of those animals . the tail is hairy , with a visible gland on the underside . on the hind feet , the first digit is small and has a claw . the fur is usually long , soft , and is an orange , brown or grayish color on top and a lighter color on the underside . adults often weigh between 40 - 50 grams with 100 - 110mm long bodies and 97 - 130mm long tails . defining skull features include an enlarged auditory bullae and the appearance of three upper incisors , as well as a short rostrum and crowded teeth . females also have six mammae .
the breeding season is in the warm , wet months of august and september . a female may have many pregnancies during one breeding season . ( shaw , 1934 )
gestation for these animals is typically about 56 days and only two young are born , sometimes one . they are born in a very precocial state ; they can run within a few hours after birth , are large in size , and are born with hair and their eyes open . babies are weaned at 16 - 25 days and reach sexual maturity after about 43 days . ( rathbun & fons )
the female does not make a nest for the young ; however , she will find a sheltered area and give birth to the young in it . the mother does not guard her young and is gone from the litter most of the time , coming back once a day to feed the young . ( smith , 1829 )
in the wild , these animals only live for 1 - 2 years . in captivity they can live as long as 3 - 4 years .
these animals are mostly diurnal except when threatened by predators . they are usually solitary animals in the wild except when they come together to mate . when mating , females fend off other females and males fight off other males .
these elephant shrews take refuge under bush or rocks but also dig burrows or use shelters previously built by other small species , typically rodents . the animals use the burrows like roads to get from place to place . they keep them clean by kicking any debris that clogs their tunnels . they also sand bathe to help keep clean .
short - eared elephant shrews typically eat insects , usually termites and ants , and other small invertebrates . they may also feed on plant parts such as roots , shoots , and berries .
the animal usually jumps from bush to bush during the day or basks in the sun , but if harassed by diurnal predators , such as hawks , it switches its schedule and looks for food at dusk , hiding in bushes during the day . also , by using their forelimbs these animals can dig tunnels very rapidly to quickly escape predators . few predators prey on the young because the young mature and leave the nest shortly after birth .
these elephant shrews help move soil around to create their burrows as well as recycle vacant burrows left from rodent species .
due to destruction of its habitat , this species is labeled “vulnerable” by the iucn .
alyce dohring ( author ) , university of michigan - ann arbor , kate teeter ( editor ) , university of michigan - ann arbor .
living in sub - saharan africa ( south of 30 degrees north ) and madagascar .
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror - image halves . animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides , as well as anterior and posterior ends . synapomorphy of the bilateria .
in deserts low ( less than 30 cm per year ) and unpredictable rainfall results in landscapes dominated by plants and animals adapted to aridity . vegetation is typically sparse , though spectacular blooms may occur following rain . deserts can be cold or warm and daily temperates typically fluctuate . in dune areas vegetation is also sparse and conditions are dry . this is because sand does not hold water well so little is available to plants . in dunes near seas and oceans this is compounded by the influence of salt in the air and soil . salt limits the ability of plants to take up water through their roots .
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature . endothermy is a synapomorphy of the mammalia , although it may have arisen in a ( now extinct ) synapsid ancestor ; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities . convergent in birds .
the area in which the animal is naturally found , the region in which it is endemic .
reproduction in which fertilization and development take place within the female body and the developing embryo derives nourishment from the female .
lincoln park zoo ,
short - eared elephant shrew
( on - line ) . accessed october 4 , 2001 at urltoken .
regina , u .
short - eared elephant shrew
( on - line ) . accessed october 4 , 2001 at urltoken .
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .
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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
corbet , g . b . and hanks , j . 1968 . a revision of the elephant - shrews , family macroscelididae . bulletin of the british museum of natural history ( zoology ) 16 : 1 - 111 .
a widespread species occurring in southern namibia , extreme southwestern botswana , and western south africa , particularly the northern , western , and eastern cape ( rathbun 2009 , dumbacher et al . 2012 ) .
it is believed that over much of its range its numbers are relatively low ( corbet and hanks 1968 , rathbun 2005 , smit et al . 2009 , schubert 2011 , dumbacher et al . 2012 , perrin and rathbun 2013 ) . there are no data on population dynamics of this species , but it is expected that populations will vary greatly in the arid habitats that it occupies , which is possibly correlated to climate regimes and climatic variability , and there are no reasons to believe that these variations , if they indeed occur , are abnormal .
there is no indication that this species has ever been used by people for any purposes . it rarely has been exported to various zoological gardens over the last few decades , where husbandry techniques have been developed , breeding has been achieved , and research results have been published ( olbricht 2009 ) .
there are no known major threats to the species . habitat modification to relatively small areas may occur near rivers and human population centres due to small - holder and industrial agriculture , mineral extraction , and urban development . changes in habitats due to desertification and bush encroachment and proposed wind and solar energy facilities may adversely alter habitats for sengis and displace them from such areas , but at present these changes do not appear widespread or serious , especially since the species is associated with arid habitats to begin with .
because this species is widespread , it is not in conflict with most human activities ; captive husbandry and breeding methods are well - established ; and it likely occurs in many protected areas ( i . e . , goegap nature reserve , gamkaberg nature reserve , skilpad nature reserve , tankwa karoo national park , mokala national park , ricthersveld national park , augrabies falls national park , namagua national park , and karoo national park ) , therefore there are no conservation actions recommended at present or in the foreseeable future . research topics of conservation relevance include determining the impacts of habitat shifts , including livestock grazing , on local populations , determining the proportion of the total distribution range that occurs in protected areas , and continue to accumulate information on occurrence points ( see urltoken ) .
rathbun , g . b . & smit - robinson , h . 2015 .
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all elephant shrews are endemic to africa . the short - eared elephant shrew is native to namibia , cape province of south africa , and southern botswana ( corbet and hanks , 1968 ; nowak , 1991 ) . the fossil record of macroscelidea also is restricted to africa and extends back to the eocene , but with only three pre - miocene taxa ( butler , 1995 ) .
recent analyses of molecular data place macroscelidea in the clade afrotheria , which also includes aardvarks , elephants , hyraxes , golden moles , tenrecs , and sirenians ( murphy et al . , 2001 ) . within afrotheria , elephant shrews form a clade with golden moles and tenrecs ( murphy et al . , 2001 ) . morphological data place macroscelidea as the sister taxon to glires ( rabbits + rodents ; novacek , 1992a , b ) .
macrosclides proboscideus inhabits sandy and gravel thornbrush plains and refuges in shallow burrows under bushes ( nowak , 1991 : 183 - 184 ) . the short - eared elephant shrew is mainly diurnal but sometimes crepuscular or nocturnal in activity , and it primarily feeds on insects along with roots , tender shoots , and berries ( nowak , 1991 : 184 ) . this species is mainly solitary in the wild ( nowak , 1991 ) . young are very precocial at birth , being covered with hair and able to move about soon after they are born ( nowak , 1991 ) . four species of elephant shrews are listed as either endangered or vulnerable by iucn , but m . proboscideus is not one of them .
this specimen ( amnh 161535 ) was collected from cape province , south africa by tom larson . it was made available to the university of texas high - resolution x - ray ct facility for scanning by ted macrini of the department of geological sciences , the university of texas at austin . funding for scanning was provided by a national science foundation ( nsf ) dissertation improvement grant to mr . macrini . funding for image processing was provided by a nsf digital libraries initiative grant to dr . timothy rowe of the department of geological sciences , the university of texas at austin .
the specimen was scanned by matthew colbert on 31 october 2003 along the coronal axis for a total of 630 slices , each slice 0 . 055 mm thick with an interslice spacing of 0 . 055 mm .
corbet , g . b . , and j . hanks . 1968 . a revision of the elephant - shrews , family macroscelididae . bulletin of the british museum ( natural history ) . zoology 16 : 47 - 111 .
murphy , w . j . , e . eizirik , s . j . o’brien , o . madsen , m . scally , c . j . douady , e . teeling , o . a . ryder , m . j . stanhope , w . w . de jong , and m . s . springer . 2001 . resolution of the early placental mammal radiation using bayesian phylogenetics . science 294 : 2348 - 2351 .
novacek , m . j . 1992a . fossils , topologies , missing data , and the higher level phylogeny of eutherian mammals . systematic biology 41 : 58 - 73 .
novacek , m . j . 1992b . mammalian phylogeny : shaking the tree . nature 356 : 121 - 125 .
nowak , r . m . 1991 . walker’s mammals of the world . volume 1 . fifth edition . the johns hopkins university press , baltimore .
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raw data on state of eruption and jaw length . “erupt / 10” indicates the number of completely erupted permanent cheek teeth with interlocking occlusion , taken as a proportion out of ten ( indicating presence of all normally erupted cheek teeth ) . in cases where the dentition was incomplete ( e . g . , dentary lost ) , the proportion was calculated out of the maximum possible number of interlocking permanent cheek teeth for that specimen and species . “symph - cond” indicates the distance in mm from the anterior margin of the mandibular symphysis to the posterior margin of the mandibular condyle ( asher and lehmann
: fig . 1 ) . “prop adult jaw” indicates a given specimen’s symphysis - condyle length divided by the median length obtained for all specimens of that species with the permanent cheek teeth completely erupted ( i . e . , with a “erupt / 10” value of ten ) , as indicated in the column “median jaw” . institutional abbreviations are as follows :
asher rj ( 2005 ) insectivoran grade placental mammals : character evolution and fossil history . in : rose kd , archibald d ( eds ) the rise of placental mammals : origin and relationships of the major clades . johns hopkins university press , baltimore , pp 50–70
asher rj , lehmann t ( 2008 ) dental eruption in afrotherian mammals . bmc biol 6 : 14 doi :
beatty b ( 2008 ) craniodental ontogeny in the desmostylia . j vertebr paleontol 283 : 49a
bronner g ( 1992 ) notes on the early postnatal development of a giant golden mole . koedoe 35 : 57–58
corbet gb , hanks j ( 1968 ) a revision of the elephant - shrews , family macroscelididae . bull brit mus nat hist zool 16 : 47–111
de magalhaes jp , costa j , toussaint o ( 2005 ) hagr : the human ageing genomic resources . nucleic acids res 33 : d537–d543 doi :
douady cj , catzeflis f , raman j , springer ms , stanhope mj ( 2003 ) the sahara as a vicariant agent , and the role of miocene climatic events , in the diversification of the mammalian order macroscelidea ( elephant shrews ) . proc natl acad sci usa 10014 : 8325 doi :
eisenberg jf , gould e ( 1970 ) the tenrecs : a study in mammalian behavior and evolution . smithson contrib zool 27 : 1–138
evans fg ( 1942 ) the osteology and relationships of the elephant shrews ( macroscelididae ) . bull am mus nat hist 80 : 85–125
holroyd p ( 2008 ) new data on dental eruption patterns in condylarths and afrotheres . j vertebr paleontol 283 : 93a
kellas l ( 1954 ) observations on the reproductive activity , measurement and growth - rate of the dik - dik . proc zool soc lond 124 : 751–784
laws r ( 1968 ) dentition and ageing in the hippopotamus . afr wildl j 6 : 19–52
leche w ( 1907 ) zur entwicklungsgeschichte des zahnsystems der säugetiere , zugleich ein beitrag zur stammengeschichte dieser tiergruppe . zoologica stuttg 49 : 1–157
morris pa ( 1970 ) a method for determining absolute age in the hedgehog . j zool ( lond ) 161 : 277–281
morris pa ( 1978 ) the use of teeth for estimating the age of wild mammals . in : butler pm , joysey ka ( eds ) development , function and evolution of teeth . academic , london , pp 483–494
olbricht g , kern c , vakhruscheva g ( 2006 ) einige aspekte der fortpflanzungsbiologie von kurzohr - ruesselspringern . zool gart 5–6 : 304–316
rathbun g ( 1979 ) the social structure and ecology of elephant - shrews . fortschr verhaltensforsch 20 : 1–76
rees j , kainer r , davis r ( 1966 ) chronology of mineralization and eruption of mandibular teeth in mule deer . j wildl manage 30 : 629–631 doi :
robinette w , jones d , rogers g , gashwiler j ( 1957 ) notes of tooth development and wear for rocky mountain mule deer . j wildl manage 21 : 134–153 doi :
sauer em ( 1973 ) zum socialverhalten der kurzohrigen elefantenspitzmaus . z saugetierkd 38 : 65–97
sauer fg , sauer em ( 1972 ) zur biologie der kurzohrigen elefantenspitzmaus . (
( afrosoricida : chrysochloridae ) from kwazulu - natal , south africa . afr zool 39 : 41–46
smith bh ( 1989 ) dental development as a measure of life history in primates . evolution 43 : 683–688 doi :
smith bh ( 2000 ) “schultz’s rule” and the evolution of tooth replacement patterns in primates and ungulates . in : teaford mf , smith mm , ferguson mwj ( eds ) development , function and evolution of teeth . cambridge university press , cambridge pp 212–227
springer ms , stanhope mj , madsen o , de jong ww ( 2004 ) molecules consolidate the placental mammal tree . trends ecol evol 19 : 430–438 doi :
tabuce r , asher rj , lehmann t ( 2008 ) afrotherian mammals : a review of current data . mammalia 72 : 2–14 doi :
van nievelt a , smith kk ( 2005 ) to replace or not to replace : the significance of reduced tooth replacement in marsupial and placental mammals . paleobiol 31 : 324–346 doi :
asher , r . j . & olbricht , g . j mammal evol ( 2009 ) 16 : 99 . urltoken


turneria bidentata is a species of ant in the genus turneria .

described by forel in 1895 , the species is endemic to australia , mostly found in the north ends of the country .

turneria bidentata

the above specimen data are provided by antweb . please see turneria bidentata for further details
turneria bidentata occurs in the top end of the northern territory and along the east australian coast from the cape york peninsula to extreme north - eastern new south wales . it is a twig - nesting species that is reasonably common although it is infrequently encountered because of its arboreal nesting habits . it is known to nest in a wide range of tree and shrub species .
shattuck , s . o . 1990 . revision of the dolichoderine ant genus turneria ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) . syst . entomol . 15 : 101 - 117 pdf
shattuck , s . o . ( 2011 ) turneria rosschinga sp . n . ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) , a new dolichoderine ant from australia . myrmecological news 15 , 125 - 128 .
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cephalic index ( head length / head width ) < 0 . 88 , relative eye length ( eye length / head width ) > 0 . 40 , frontal lobes without erect hairs , lateral areas of head moderately imbricate and with integument opaque , area between propodeal protuberances concave . in lateral profile , the concave region of the declivitous face of the propodeum is more rounded than in other species .
the following information is derived from barry bolton ' s new general catalogue , a catalogue of the world ' s ants .
lectotype ( designated by shattuck , 1990 ) , worker , mackay , queensland , australia , m . g . turner , musee d ' histoire naturelle genève ; ( lower specimen on pin ) .
paralectotype ( designated by shattuck , 1990 ) , 1 worker , mackay , queensland , australia , m . g . turner , musee d ' histoire naturelle genève .
the clypeus possesses 8 to 14 erect hairs . color varies from uniform dark brown or black to strongly bicolored with the head , alitrunk , legs and petiole yellow and the gaster brown . in lighter colored individuals , the dorsum of the head may be slightly darker than the mesosoma .
worker measurements ( n = 25 ) : ood 0 . 15 - 0 . 21 , el 0 . 24 - 0 . 28 , ocd 0 . 10 - 0 . 13 , cl 0 . 13 - 0 . 19 , hl 0 . 65 - 0 . 75 , les 0 . 03 - 0 . 05 , ew 0 . 11 - 0 . 15 , es 0 . 24 - 0 . 28 , hw 0 . 55 - 0 . 66 , sl 0 . 41 - 0 . 46 , pnl 0 . 30 - 0 . 42 , ml 0 . 27 - 0 . 37 , ppl 0 . 23 - 0 . 30 , pnw 0 . 36 - 0 . 43 , mw 0 . 23 - 0 . 30 , ppw 0 . 25 - 0 . 29 , po - 0 . 01 - 0 . 04 , ffl 0 . 41 - 0 . 53 , ffw 0 . 16 - 0 . 21 , mh 0 . 31 - 0 . 39 , pph 0 . 22 - 0 . 29 , ci 0 . 80 - 0 . 88 , oi 0 . 43 - 0 . 57 , rel 0 . 40 - 0 . 48 , si 0 . 70 - 0 . 79 , fi 0 . 34 - 0 . 48 , pi 0 . 63 - 0 . 71 , ppi 0 . 87 - 1 . 10 , rood 0 . 28 - 0 . 33 , poi - 0 . 04 - 0 . 17 , rpo - 0 . 02 - 0 . 07 , rmw 0 . 42 - 0 . 47 , rles 0 . 05 - 0 . 09 , res 0 . 41 - 0 . 45 , rffl 0 . 66 - 0 . 94 .
body color in this species is highly variable . populations from the vicinity of cairns are uniform dark brown , mackay - area populations are strongly bicolored , while southern collections from burleigh heads are yellowish brown with the gaster slightly darker ; in extreme cases some workers are yellow - brown with a black gaster . none of these populations diverge in any of other morphological traits , although the cairns - vicinity specimens average slightly , but insignificantly , smaller . for most traits all known specimens broadly overlap . the cairns - vicinity populations diverge slightly from the more southern ones in two metric traits , mw and pph , as follows : mw 0 . 23 - 0 . 27 vs . 0 . 25 - 0 . 30 and pph 0 . 22 - 0 . 25 vs . 0 . 23 - 0 . 29 . the broad overlap in the ranges of these characters make them of little value in separating these populations .
forel , a . 1895g . nouvelles fourmis d ' australie , récoltées à the ridge , mackay , queensland , par m . gilbert turner . ann . soc . entomol . belg . 39 : 417 - 428 ( page 419 , worker described )
this page was last modified on 6 july 2018 , at 19 : 14 .
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urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : 02aa5edd - fad6 - 4d09 - 8b7e - c2800d7ad60b
urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : 0c7269f4 - 32a6 - 41f6 - acef - e1196012a6f4
urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : 0cdbe1fb - 9c3e - 423a - ba46 - ef8b1724b4c3
urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : 3f65c802 - 976d - 48a7 - 9e7d - b969c738e786
urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : adb80b81 - 29ed - 45e1 - b5f3 - e6087c6f8d33
urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : adbcbc0f - 6923 - 413b - baf8 - 22c0f331d576
urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : f11267f8 - 8878 - 4548 - b313 - 7e9087b01a4c
urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : f2b5e6b6 - 7d35 - 4845 - 91c0 - 4a359ff5bf11
urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : 40e82464 - 30c8 - 4921 - 94d9 - 847d0bf98c82
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a tiny orange ant seen running ( light trail ) along the branches of a shrub , in a suburban yard . they were entering and leaving a hole at the end of a branch , so seems to be a tree - nesting ant . i also accidentally photographed a jumping - spider that appears to be mimicking them ( the disguise worked ) .
this sighting hasn ' t been described yet ! be the first to describe this sighting .
: 419 - worker ; type locality : mackay [ 21 / 149 ] , queensland .
forel , a . 1895b . 1895 639 nouvelles fourmis d ' australie , recoltees a the ridge , mackay , queensland par m . gilbert turner . annales de la soci _ t _ entomologique de belgique 39 : 417 - 428 .
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urltoken


the genus spilogale includes all skunks commonly known as spotted skunks and is composed of four different species : s. gracilis , s. putorius , s. pygmaea , s. angustifrons .

spotted skunk

not all skunk spray is the same . the striped skunk , spotted skunk and hog nosed skunk all have different compounds present in their defensive secretion .
“most people think a skunk is a skunk is a skunk , ” dowler says .
entryway to a male eastern spotted skunk’s den . photo courtesy of virginia tech .
© copyright roger barbour . all rights reserved . spilogale putorius - - eastern spotted skunk
morphological changes in the blastocyst of the western spotted skunk during activation from delayed implantation .
eastern spotted skunk being fitted with a radio collar . photo courtesy of virginia tech .
they found another spotted skunk two days later , on the survey ' s last day .
island spotted skunk - channel islands national park ( u . s . national park service )
island spotted skunks on the two islands differ only slightly , with those on santa rosa spotted skunk being slightly longer than those on santa cruz .
expression of epidermal growth factor receptor in the preimplantation uterus and blastocyst of the western spotted skunk .
frostburg state university conducted meso - carnivore surveys within the believed range of the eastern spotted skunk .
the eastern spotted skunk is a very small skunk , which ( for comparison sake ) is no larger than a good - sized tree squirrel .
inhabits the western half of the united states . some taxonomists call the western spotted skunk a subspecies of
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morphological changes in the blastocyst of the western spotted skunk during activation from delayed implantation . - pubmed - ncbi
the spotted skunk is not found in new england or the north - central states . spotted skunks are less common and occur most frequently in the highlands of the state .
the eastern spotted skunk ( spilogale putorius ) is a small , relatively slender skunk found throughout the eastern united states and in small areas of canada and mexico .
information on the western spotted skunk ( spilogale gracilis ) is being researched and written and will appear here shortly .
the western spotted skunk is classified as least concern ( lc ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
expression of epidermal growth factor receptor in the preimplantation uterus and blastocyst of the western spotted skunk . - pubmed - ncbi
a western spotted skunk stands on its hands to deliver a smelly attack . ( credit : jerry w . dragoo )
northeastern state university and dickinson state university are currently studying “fringe mammals” in western north dakota . this includes eastern spotted skunk .
jellison , w . l . 1945 . spotted skunk and feral nutria in montana . j . mammal . 26 . 432 pp .
• determine presence of eastern spotted skunk in the state . • develop a protocol to monitor the eastern spotted skunk in the state . • develop research to define ecology , resource needs , and population dynamics of this species in the state if found to be present .
since insects are the spotted skunk ' s primary source of food , spotted skunks play an important role in insect control . they may also affect predator populations ( great horned owls ) , as items of prey .
flath , d . 1978 . written communication of western spotted skunk observation and specimen collection to montana natural heritage program , helena , mt .
kaplan , j . , r . mead . 1994 . seasonal changes in testicular function and seminal characteristics of the male eastern spotted skunk .
the eastern spotted skunk ranges from northeastern mexico through the great plains to the canadian border and throughout the southeastern united states north to pennsylvania .
i first spotted this plant last year while out picking . . . read more
eastern spotted skunk ready to be fitted with a radio collar for the dgif - funded virginia tech research study . photo courtesy of virginia tech .
if you see a spotted skunk , especially in the eastern half of the state or the panhandle , robert dowler would like to know about it . report your sighting to him at skunk . project @ urltoken .
click to enlarge this image . ( 25kb ) spilogale putorius ( eastern spotted skunk ) , appalachian trail click to enlarge this image . ( 326kb )
the species of greatest conservation concern is the eastern spotted skunk , or plains spotted skunk , which is found in the eastern half of texas and the panhandle and in the eastern united states . the u . s . fish and wildlife service is considering listing it as a threatened or endangered species .
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: the spotted skunk is the smaller and less common of the two skunks inhabiting the park and has been recorded up to 2 , 900 feet elevation .
loss of riparian areas is a major concern for eastern spotted skunk . it uses these areas to hunt , and also dens in logs and brush piles .
average size spotted skunks , weighing 1 to 4 pounds , are smaller than striped skunks .
the eastern spotted skunk is often confused with the more common striped skunk which is a different species . as you can see from the diagram above , compared to spotted skunks , striped skunks are larger in size ( although young striped skunks are often confused with spotteds ) and lack the distinctive spots compared to stripes along their body . more information on the natural history of eastern spotted skunks can be found here .
jellison , w . c . 1931 . little spotted skunk ( spilogale gracilis saxatilis ) , recorded for montana . journal of mammalogy . v12 . page 314 .
mead , r . a . 1968 . reproduction in western forms of the spotted skunk ( genus spilogale ) . journal of mammalogy 49 : 373 - 390 .
recently described as a separate species from the eastern spotted skunk because of differences in color pattern , cranial features , reproductive physiology , and breeding season ; the western spotted skunk is neither endangered nor threatened . it is adapting readily to the new sources of food and habitats provided by civilization ( davis and schmidley 1994 ) .
the eastern spotted skunk was once a widespread species across the midwestern and southeastern states , with harvests exceeding 100 , 000 animals a year for pelts . in the 1940s , populations seemed to crash across the animal’s range . texas put the plains spotted skunk on its watch list and awarded dowler a contract to assess its status .
a year later , he finally got rid of the skunk , though the use of the freezer never quite returned to pre - skunk levels .
island spotted skunks are only about a third as large as their competitor , the island fox .
jellison , w . l . 1945 . general notes : spotted skunk and feral nutria in montana . journal of mammalogy . 26 ( 4 ) : 432 - 443 .
we are all familiar with the striped skunk . bambi ' s friend flower and pepe le pew were striped skunks . in southern oregon we have another , less commonly seen skunk ; spilogale putorius , the spotted skunk , civet , or polecat . spilogale is the greek word for spotted polecat : putorius is latin for stench . some mammalogists consider our more slender western version , s . gracilis , a separate species . gracilis means slender .
eastern spotted skunks are mostly nocturnal . spotted skunks are much more alert and active than most skunks . when threatened , a foul - smelling oily secretion from the skunk ' s anal glands can be projected up to 4 m and is usually directed at the face of the threatening animal . the spotted skunk is noted for its characteristic
handstand
stance that it takes when threatened . before spraying its opponent , this skunk raises up on its front legs and turns its head to watch as it sprays . it is also the only member of the skunk family that can climb . ( davis and schmidley 1994 , grzmek 1972 )
( common skunk ) , with remarks on the physiological properties of this secretion .
1990 . new components in defensive secretion of the striped skunk , mephitis mephitis .
eastern spotted skunk is widely distributed and was once common but no overall population estimate is available . currently this species is classified as vulnerable ( vu ) and its numbers today are decreasing .
range channel islands spotted skunks currently occur only on santa cruz and santa rosaislands where they are widely distributed . spotted skunks occurred on san miguel island , probably until the late nineteenth century . fossil material has been collected on san miguel island and a spotted skunk was reportedly collected from san miguel island sometime during the 1870s . however , there have been no records of skunks on san miguel since then .
the spraying of the extremely foul - smelling fluid from the tail end of a skunk is something that predators , and spouses of skunk researchers , don’t soon forget .
hooded skunk : the hooded skunk looks much like the striped , but has a ruff of fur around the neck , and a very long , lush white plume for a tail . hog - nosed skunk : this is the least common skunk ; it is all white on the top of head , back , and tail . the underparts are black . there is a bare patch of skin on this skunk’s long nose .
nowhere in its range is the spotted skunk as common as the striped skunk , and in recent years it has declined drastically due to loss of habitat . formerly , the plains spotted skunk subspecies ( spilogale putorius interrupta ) was most common in the western half of the state , but it is now extremely rare and is listed as endangered in missouri . the decline is due to “clean” farming , which eliminates cover this species requires . pesticides have hastened the decline of these insectivores .
the average spotted skunk litter size is 3 to 5 . the young of both species are born blind and are not weaned until 8 to 9 weeks of age . family units stay together until fall
the spotted skunk has a range that covers most of the us and mexico , although the species is a bit less populous than the striped skunk . even less common are the hooded and hog - nosed species , which are only native to parts of the midwest , southwest and mexico .
when texas parks and wildlife department mammalogist jonah evans came across a road - killed spotted skunk and decided to save the specimen in the freezer at work , his co - workers were less than enthusiastic .
it is distinguished from spotted skunk subspecies on the mainland by its shorter tail and less white abdominal coloration , slightly larger size , broader skull , and proportionately less white and blacker in the fur . like the mainland subspecies , the island spotted skunks exhibit sexual size differences , with males averaging 28 % larger than females . this skunk is considerably smaller than striped skunks on the mainland and has softer , glossier fur .
= 0 . 034 ) . a posteriori tests revealed nonsignificant effects of overall predator abundance on the likelihood of pausing and scan length . there was a significant interaction between shape and skunk abundance with animals more likely to pause at skunk - shaped models with increasing skunk abundance (
the most well - known skunk characteristic is , of course , its ability to spray .
, 1982 . chemical constituents of the defensive secretion of the striped skunk ( mephitis mephitis ) .
evans’ sticky note that said “do not eat” on the skunk’s ziploc bag wasn’t too funny either .
dowler and evans both want to know more about how the different skunk species divide up habitat .
ooooh , that smell . . . must be skunk : the humane society of the united states
dowler’s team is in the process of surveying 10 sites to find where the eastern spotted skunk is , and isn’t . at each site , his team uses 120 traps or detection devices , checked daily during a weeklong survey .
reproduction the breeding season for spotted skunks on the islands is probably similar to spotted skunks on the mainland . western spotted skunks mate in september and october , and following delayed implantation and a 210 - 310 day gestation , give birth in april and may to 2 - 6 . counts of three and five uterine scars were recorded from two skunks collected at santa cruz island in september .
as north america ' s smallest skunk , these nocturnal mammals weigh two pounds or less and are under 20 inches long . the weasel - like spotted skunk differs from other skunks by its extremely silky fur and an arrangement of irregular elongated white patches the length of its body . spotty ' s tail is tipped in white .
striped skunks are native to north america , and can be found in northern mexico , throughout the united states , and as far north as central canada . other species of skunks , such as the spotted skunk and the hog - nosed skunk , can be found further south , ranging from canada to central and south america . stink badgers , which resemble the hog - nosed skunk , are strictly found in the philippines , malaysia , and indonesia . the striped skunk can be found throughout florida , except for in the keys .
image source : photo taken by the skunk stripe at the san bernardino county museum , with permission .
i had an encounter with a skunk a few years back which ended very quickly . the reason ?
a striped skunk skull description : similar to a mink skull but larger . photo credits : dallas virchow
their markings are different , too . spotted skunks have multiple , broken white stripes , plus spots on the rump and the head .
conservation status according to the iucn red list ( 2008 ) , the western spotted skunk is listed as least concern as they are widely distributed in a variety of habitats including human altered habitats . the species may be declining in parts of the united states but not at a rate fast enough to be threatened . in contrast , prior to the recent upswing in skunk numbers on the islands , the island spotted skunk was thought to be rare , and was listed as a species of special concern by the state of california . when the island spotted skunk had a small population and was not well - studied , the skunk that time was designated as a species of concern . however , recent surveys now show a remarkable recovery in the species . on santa rosa island , skunks are marked and counted during annual population monitoring for island foxes , and as of 2011 there were approximately 3 , 000 skunks on santa rosa island .
the most common and recognized skunk species in north america is the striped skunk , whose range extends from the southern half of canada to the northernmost parts of mexico , covering most of the continental united states .
the western spotted skunk is as cute as a button , and pretty nifty too . before spraying predators in the face with pungent chemicals , the little creature hops up onto its forelimbs and charges forward . this behavior is meant to intimidate foes , but if you aren’t on the receiving end of the skunk’s stinky ire , it’s delightful to watch .
the hooded skunk ( mephitis macroura ) is primarily a mexican species that has been known to inhabit the big bend region of texas . it is more secretive than the striped skunk , with which it is often confused . the hooded skunk has longer , softer fur and a hood of longer hair on the neck and head . it has two color patterns : a white back similar to the hog - nosed skunk , and a black back with white stripes similar to the striped skunk . hooded skunks eat mice , insects and occasionally prickly pear cactus . it is the rarest skunk in texas , though it is abundant in mexico .
badger : the badger is a wide - bodied , short - legged creature of about 22 pounds . it has a distinctive white stripe running over its forehead and down its nose . its coat is shaggy , with a yellowish brown color . spotted skunk : the spotted skunk is easy to identify . smaller than the other skunks at about 2 pounds , its bold black and white pattern resembles spots instead of stripes . the tail is black at the base and white at the tip .
striped skunks , hog - nosed , and hooded skunks breed in february and march and the babies are born in may and june . spotted skunks breed either later in the spring , in early summer , or in the fall — as is the case with western spotted skunks .
eastern spotted skunks are very good at catching rodents . they sometimes knock down beehives to get the honeycomb , despite being stung many times .
image source ( skunk only ) : robert barber / painet inc . , illinois department of natural resources .
from the back of a pickup , they patrol properties at night , when the skunks are out , and scan the countryside with spotlights and flashlights . when they see one , they’ll bang on the roof of the pickup , yell “skunk ! skunk ! ” and jump out in a mad dash to capture the skunk .
these methods worked to remove the skunk odor from my home and they should work for you , too .
skunk plasti - catch cage trap manufactured by minnesota plasti - catch provides a safer way to capture skunks .
western spotted skunks are a bit smaller than the more common striped skunk , and their coat patterns are much more complex . they also seem to have something of an exhibitionist streak : when spraying their trademark noxious musk , western spotted skunks will occasionally flip themselves into a handstand , legs and bushy tail akimbo , as a jet of foul - smelling chemicals shoots from glands on their posteriors .
did you know that it is estimated that spotted skunks have undergone a > 99 % decline range - wide since the 1940 ' s . unfortunately , because we know so little about the eastern spotted skunk , we still don ' t completely understand the reason for this decline or even where the species still persists . more information on the conservation status of the species can be found here .
habitat spotted skunks on the channel islands show habitat preferences similar to those reportedfor the mainland subspecies . based on radio telemetry studies , spotted skunks on santa cruz island showed a preference for chaparral - grassland , open grassland , fennel - grassland , and ravines . on santa rosa island , spotted skunks were found to be associated with rocky canyon slopes , cactus patches , chaparral , coastal sage scrub , open woodland , other scrub - grassland communities , and riparian habitat along streams . on both islands , the species has also been recorded in or under human dwellings and ranch outbuildings . the elevational range of the channel islands spotted skunk extends from sea level to approximately 2000 feet .
i was surprised to learn there are four types of skunks in north america : striped , spotted , hog nose and hooded . photos of each are shown below . a wild skunk ' s lifespan is only a few years , but a domesticated pet skunk can - - with proper medical care and a good diet - - live more than a decade .
sadly , texas is not one of the states that allows pet skunks , so i will probably never have one of my own . however , if i could have a pet skunk , i think my choice would be the spotted skunk . not only are they unique looking , they are also the smallest - - about the same size as a squirrel .
the spotted skunk has various areas of white on the body that mix with the black . they don’t feature the famous white stripe that goes down the middle of the back . the spots can be varied through the four species and even by individuals .
when a skunk is ready to spray , nozzles emerge from either side of the skunk’s anus . each nozzle is surrounded by muscle tissue that can contract to direct the discharge 15 feet or more with highly coordinated control .
eastern spotted skunks breed mostly in the later winter months and give birth in late spring to early summer . on average the female skunk will give birth to 4–5 baby skunks ( kits ) at a time . it takes twelve weeks before newborn skunks will become fully developed into adult skunks and two months before they develop skunk musk to use as self - defense .
spotted skunks may inhabit forested and brushy areas as well as agricultural regions . they are often found in crevices in cliffs and in rock slides .
joyce b . kaplan , rodney a . mead ; seasonal changes in testicular function and seminal characteristics of the male eastern spotted skunk ( spilogale putorius ambarvilus ) , journal of mammalogy , volume 75 , issue 4 , 18 november 1994 , pages 1013–1020 , urltoken
it is extremely difficult to get skunk spray out of fabric , carpet and furniture because it is naturally oily .
i personally know how difficult it is to remove skunk odor from my home , so do not give up .
please note that it’s illegal to trap or shoot spotted skunks in virginia ( unless they are causing damage ) and their pelts may not be sold .
the eastern spotted skunk is omnivorous . it feeds primarily on small mammals , fruits , insects , birds , lizards , snakes , and carrion . the stomach of a specimen found near park headquarters in november , 1950 , contained the remains of a northern spring peeper (
a skunk ' s spray is an oily liquid produced by glands under its large tail . to employ this scent bomb , a skunk turns around and blasts its foe with a foul mist that can travel as far as ten feet .
want more natural history and wildlife videos ? visit the official bbc earth channel : urltoken bbc earth the bbc earth youtube channel is home to over 50 years - worth of the best animal videos from the bbc archive . with three new videos released every week there’s something for all nature loves from astounding animal behaviour to beautiful imagery . click here to find our more : urltoken enter the amazing world of the spotted skunk with this brilliant clip from bbc wildlife show ' weird nature ' . a chance to see skunk defences at first hand , this short video includes images of a spotted skunk performing foot stomping , hand stands , and predatory spraying to ward off potential attackers .
spotted skunks are often found near or within forests . their ability to climb trees and move agilely amongst branches in a squirrel - like fashion is most likely the cause of this habitat preference . spotted skunks are also notorious for digging underground burrows on private properties , residing within barns , and constructing burrows near trash receptacles .
in january , planes dropped doses of oral rabies vaccine across parts of 17 counties in an attempt to fight skunk rabies .
lead author adam ferguson protects himself from the smell as he works with a skunk . ( credit : the field museum )
eastern spotted skunks seem to prefer forest edges and upland prairie grasslands , especially where rock outcrops and shrub clumps are present . in western counties , it relies heavily on riparian corridors where woody shrubs and woodland edges are present . woody fencerows , odd areas , and abandoned farm buildings are also important habitat for eastern spotted skunks .
the western spotted skunk prefers rocky bluffs and brush - bordered canyon stream beds . they make dens in rocky outcrops or hollow logs in the wild ; however , they often live in close association with people , frequently nesting in rock fences or even attics ( davis and schmidley 1994 ) .
crabb , w . d . 1944 . growth , development , and seasonal weights of spotted skunks . journal of mammalogy 25 ( 3 ) : 213 - 221 .
a final note of advice to new skunk owners : be diligent and don ' t allow your skunk to wander away from the safe confines of your house . unlike dogs and cats , skunks do not have a homing instinct , so a skunk that gets loose probably will not return home on its own . in the wild , a pet skunk no longer has the ability to defend itself , and is at greater risk of being killed by a dog or fearful human , or hit by an automobile .
“the grass was pretty thick , and we couldn’t see into the trap , ” perkins says . “we could just see that the trap was closed . and we could see that the animal had pulled grass into the trap to make a little nest . we gently lifted the cover and saw that a skunk had wrapped itself in the grass . alex was the first one to tell that we had a spotted skunk . ”
option 3 . ( professionals only ) use cat grasping tongs to grab hold of skunk and rescue him from the window well .
appearance the island spotted skunk can be identified by its complex pattern of white markings on a blackbackground consisting of four to six broken white stripes , a triangular white forehead patch , a series of shorter white stripes resembling spots , and white on part of the abdominal surface and tip of the tail .
though they are closely related to striped skunks , spotted skunks are smaller in size and more agile that their cousins . they are omnivores and gladly take advantage of any available food source , like berries , carrion , rodents , and snakes . spotted skunks are mostly known for the pungent and foul - smelling odor they produce to repel predators .
dowler and his students have been systematically collecting such information , especially on western spotted and hog - nosed skunks , since those species have been studied less than striped skunks . in one three - year study funded by tpwd , dowler monitored the comings and goings of striped , western spotted and hog - nosed skunks at san angelo state park .
spotted skunks , like their striped cousins , are members of the skunk family and will spray an odorous secretion in self - defense as suggested by their latin scientific name , which translates to “stinking spotted weasel . ” however , at just 1–2½ pounds , spotted skunks are noticeably more slender and smaller than striped skunks and are not much bigger than a large squirrel . their glossy black fur has 4–6 broken white stripes along the back and sides that resemble “spots , ” versus the two solid white bands that extends down the back of striped skunks . the feet of spotted skunks are more specialized for climbing ( they are adept tree climbers ) , compared to the powerful feet of striped skunks that are adapted for digging . spotted skunks are more carnivorous than striped skunks , primarily feeding on small mammals , insects , eggs , and even carrion . they typically breed in the later winter or early spring , giving birth to a single litter of 1 – 6 young born in may or june .
the hog - nosed skunk presents a particular risk , mostly because of its method of capture . the other skunk species can be trapped , but the hog - nosed typically won’t go into a trap . that means the researchers basically have to chase them down .
robert dowler is one of the world’s leading skunk researchers , and he oversees one of the world’s biggest skunk specimen collections . he is a professor at angelo state university in san angelo , which , it turns out , is practically the epicenter of skunkdom in texas .
avoid getting skunk spray in your eyes . wash your hands as soon as you touch the musk with the strongest soap you have .
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multiple states have ongoing research and monitoring efforts for spotted skunks . a list of current research projects can be found here , and biologists are always eager to hear about new sightings .
when frightened or angered , the eastern spotted skunk may engage in several unique behaviors that may serve as either a bluff or a warning prior to the discharge of the scent . it may stomp or pat its front feet in rapid succession on the floor or ground . it can also do a
handstand
on its front feet . the skunk upends itself , holds its tail in the air , and may walk up to several yards in this manner .
skunks are known to release a powerful smell through their anal glands when threatened . skunks will usually only attack when cornered or defending their young , and spraying is not the first method of defense . a skunk will growl , spit , fluff its fur , shake its tail , and stamp the ground . if the intruder does not leave , the skunk will then lift its tail and spray its famous skunk odor .
for the skunk , there’s no better time to spray than when a handful of angelo state students are chasing you with nets and buckets .
if a skunk has sprayed on any wood or concrete items in your home , you can use this bleach solution to clear the smell .
skunks follow their noses , so if a garage door is open , a skunk will likely amble in . if the skunk enters the garage , the hsus recommends leaving a garage door open at night and sprinkling flour along the bottom of it so you can see exiting tracks .
van gelder , r . g . 1959 . a taxonomic revision of the spotted skunks ( genus spilogale ) . bulletin of the american museum of natural history 117 : 229 - 392 .
verts , b . j . 1967 . the biology of the striped skunk . univ . illinois press , urbana . vii + 218 pp .
the habitat of the western spotted skunk in montana is not well known , but they have been found in arid , rocky and brushy canyons and hillsides . information from other portions of its range suggest that when they are inactive or bearing young they occupy a den in rocks , burrows , hollow logs , brush piles , or under buildings .
a skunk ' s sulfuric spray has a range of up to 10 feet , and its odor can be detected up to 1 . 5 miles .
) . there was no effect of skunk abundance on mean pause length , total pause length , or time to contact the models . the likelihood of approaching near enough to make contact was unrelated to skunk abundance , although more time was spent in contact with models in areas of higher fox abundance (
skunks live in a variety of habitats from riparian canyons and wooded areas to arizona uplands and suburbs . they prefer thick , brushy areas . the spotted skunk is most common in rocky , riparian canyons , while the hog - nose is usually found in the middle to higher elevations . none of the skunks are common in the low , dry flats .
with the study now in its third year , researchers at virginia tech are beginning to report some interesting preliminary results . using trail cameras stationed at 128 sites in 10 counties , the researchers have documented spotted skunks at 23 different locations . habitat data collected at the surveyed sites suggest that spotted skunks prefer forests with thick understory vegetation , most likely to avoid detection from predators , particularly great horned owls .
efforts are currently underway to radio - collar spotted skunks , monitor their movements and locate den sites . initial data from 11 radio - collared spotted skunks has tracked them to multiple den sites in underground burrows , hollow logs , and tree cavities . their night time movements have generally been within close range of their den sites . radio tracking data will continue being collected throughout the spring and summer months .
“most other skunks are kind of heavy - bodied and not very aware , ” evans says . “they lumber around , and if a predator shows up , they have their defenses , and that’s their game . spotted skunks are more like a skunk crossed with a squirrel . they bound all over the place , and they can climb trees pretty well . ”
relationship between the relative abundance of striped skunks and the proportion of pauses during approaches to skunk - shaped mounts . two sites ( deer creek hills and sagehen creek field station ) had no visits to skunk - shaped mounts and were thereby excluded from this figure , although all sites were included in statistical analyses .
open all windows and doors . turn on a fan . fresh air is the most effective remedy when it comes to removing skunk odor from your home .
they often fight over food and location , but they don’t spray each other with their oils . instead , they will bite and scratch until one of them runs away from the battle . many people worry about being bitten by a spotted skunk due to the risk of rabies . it is possible so any human or any pet that gets bit should be tested .
they are much more active than any other type of skunk . they have mostly the same predators as any other skunk ( big cats , bobcats , owls , humans , etc . ) . up to eight skunks may share an underground den in the winter . they can also climb and take shelter in trees .
overall , given the lack of knowledge regarding primary threats ( see threats ) and causes of decline , research is urgently needed to guide conservation action . fortunately , researchers from multiple states and universities currently have ongoing research projects on the species , and in 2015 the eastern spotted skunk cooperative study group was formed to help inform managers of research priorities and potential conservation actions .
the coloration scheme isn’t the only difference for the spotted skunk . they have a body that seems very similar in style to that of the weasel . they have short feet and they are very slow moving . they have scent glands that enable them to release powerful scents that are very strong and foul . this is able to help them to defend themselves from predators .
if your rags reek of skunk afterwards , then then just mix together the same solution as stated above and throw it in the washer with your smelly laundry .
option 1 . carefully place an 8
wide board , with cleats to allow skunk to climb out . it is critical that the board not be too steep or a skunk won ' t be able to climb it . endeavor to make the slope less than a 45 degree angle . photo by : dallas virchow .
the spotted skunk survey project is not a statewide project in the vmn volunteer management system . virginia master naturalist volunteers who want to participate should make sure that it is an approved project within their chapter . a project proposal form is provided below to aid in that process . chapters may adapt this form by adding a local contact person or other details pertinent to their areas .
skunks often issue warnings before spraying . striped and hooded skunks stomp their feet . hog - nosed skunks may rear up on their hind legs . spotted skunks get acrobatic and perform a handstand with their tail aloft .
the musk is stored in two large scent glands near the anus . each scent glad has an associated nipple that the musk is sprayed from . there is one on the left side of the anus , and the other on the right side . muscles around the scent glands allow the skunk to aim its spray with a great degree of accuracy . in fact , a skunk can hit a target up to fifteen feet away ! normally , a skunk will aim for the eyes of whatever animal is threatening it , but if the threat is not within sight , a skunk will instead spray a cloud of musk that the pursuing animal will have to run through .
i found the tracks of spotted , hog - nosed and striped skunks all within a few feet of each other . that’s three skunks cohabitating in the exact same area . but they all have their own approach . ”
striped skunks are considered fur - bearing animals throughout their range . typically , they are abundant enough to permit unlimited taking . spotted and hog - nose skunks are less plentiful and may have harvest restrictions in your area .
when a skunk is being chased , it can emit an atomized cloud that the pursuing predator must run through . when a skunk is under a bush or cornered , it can aim a direct stream of yellow discharge at a predator’s face . both are effective methods of deterring an intruder . the active ingredient of the foul - smelling discharge is a sulphide known as n - butyl mercaptan , which can sting the skin , cause temporary blindness and produce a pungent , gagging odor that is unmistakably skunk .
there are no major threats to this species . the main cause of current mortality of this species is represented by automobile roadkills ( rosatte , 1987 ) . the pelts of both eastern and western spotted skunks represent an insignificant fraction of the modern fur trade . in the 1983 - 1984 trapping season , 5 , 588 pelts described as spotted skunk were harvested in the united states ( novak et al . , 1987 ) . the species is declining in the midwest and portions of the east , but common in southern florida ( reid 2006 ) . pesticides present a threat to the species in areas with intensive agriculture .
average home range is around 1 / 4 sq mi ( schwartz and schwartz 1981 ) . not as abundant as striped skunk ( mephitis mephitis ) in most of range .
striped skunk : there is variation in patterning among the skunks , but the striped usually has a black back with a white stripe along its sides . the tail is black with a white tip . the striped is a medium - to large - sized skunk at about 6 to 10 pounds ( 2 . 7 - 4 . 5 kg ) .
which are broken in pattern , giving it a
spotted
appearance . they have a white spot on their forehead . they are found in canada ( southeast manitoba and northwestern ontario ) , the united states and northeastern mexico .
since the animal is being considered for endangered species status , that means finding one can be akin to searching for bigfoot . dowler and his students surveyed a site in fort worth for a week and found no spotted skunks , despite a trail camera having shown one there earlier in the year . at lake somerville state park , a week’s worth of trapping and camera surveillance turned up no spotted skunks either . they were getting — you guessed it — skunked .
despite this potent defense , the skunk isn ' t without preditors . occasionally a wolf , fox , or bobcat will kill a skunk , but the main danger is from birds of prey . hawks , falcons , and owls have excellent vision and hunt mainly by sight . one thing they don ' t have is a good sense of smell . lacking this , they have never learned to fear skunks . the great horned owl , in particular , makes the skunk a mainstay of its diet , and is the single greatest predator of skunks .
what all skunk species have in common is that their oily , yellow secretion contains sulfur compounds ( namely , thiols and their acetate derivatives ) which gives it the infamously repulsive odor .
skunk spray is a bit like glitter or poison oak ; it gets on anything you touch . so don ' t touch furniture or other people because they will stink , too .
the eastern spotted skunk remains a level iii species of conservation priority . efforts to document the species in swg t - 12 - r evaluating the distribution and abundance of river otters and other meso - carnivores in eastern north dakota drainage : applications of gis , genetic and digital technologies for conservation planning were unsuccessful . it has recently been petitioned for protection under the endangered species act and north dakota is considered within its range .
if you have trail camera photos or other verifiable evidence regarding occurrences of spotted skunks in virginia , please contact dgif’s furbearer biologist , mike fies , at 540 - 248 - 9390 or by e - mail at mike . fies @ urltoken .
the spotted skunk is the only one able to climb trees , which expands its foraging opportunities . this small skunk breeds in september and october , but delayed implantation results in the young being born in may . the other skunks all breed in the spring , with most babies born in may . the 3 to 7 kits stay with the mother through the summer , accompanying her on nocturnal hunting forays , before dispersing in the fall . evidence of skunks in an area includes many divots in the earth and other signs of rooting , as well as scat containing berries , insect parts , and bits of fur .
“all the people at work were frustrated because they wanted to use the freezer , and i just took a long time to hand the skunk off to bob dowler , ” evans says .
well , the smell ( eventually ) dissipated from my body . . . but now i was left with a putrid skunk smell inside from everything i ' d touched or passed by .
eastern spotted skunks are omnivores . in winter they eat corn and cottontails ; in spring , insects and native field mice ; in summer , insects and small amounts of fruit , birds , and birds ' eggs ; in fall , mostly insects .
in general , spotted skunks grow between one to two feet in length and weigh around a pound and a half . they have black fur with erratic white striping , and many individuals also bear a single white spot on their foreheads . their loud and striking coloration is thought to function as a warning for predators . animals and humans who fail to recognize the threat are sprayed with the odor that emanates from the skunk ' s anal glands .
the western spotted skunk looks much like the eastern spotted skunk except that the white areas are more extensive . both are relatively small and slender . they are black with a white spot on their forehead and in front of each ear . they have a pair of dorsolateral white stripes on the anterior portion of their bodies beginning at the back of their head , a pair of lateral stripes confluent with the spots in front of the skunk ' s ears , and a ventrolateral pair which begins just behind the forelegs . these cut off at mid - body and the posterior portion of the skunk ' s body has two interrupted white bands , a white spot on each side of the rump and two more at the base of the tail . the underside of the tail is white for nearly half its length and the tip is extensively white . the ears are short and low on the sides of the head . they have five toes on each foot but the claws on the front feet are more than twice as long as those on the back feet , sharp , and recurved . males average 423mm in length ( 134 of that being tail ) and 565 g in weight . females average 360 mm ( 129 tail ) and 368 g ( davis and schmidley 1994 ) .
only great horned owls—with built - in protective “goggles” and very little sense of smell—seem to prey on skunks regularly . many big owls smell skunky and have skunk - bitten feet . as far as the oddsmakers of natural selection are concerned , skunk defenses are superlative . but like porcupines , skunks seem to be as vulnerable to tiny parasites as they are well - defended against big predators .
the eastern spotted skunks is a small , relatively slender skunk with a body shape like a weasel . its black - and - white color is a warning against harming this small creature , as its defense mechanism is the emission of noxious odors from its well - developed scent glands . this mammal is also known as the civet cat , but this is incorrect and misleading because it is neither closely related to old world true civets nor to cats .
gc - ms analysis of the anal sac secretion from the spotted skunk , spilogale putorius , showed three major volatile components : ( e ) - 2 - butene - 1 - thiol , 3 - methyl - 1 - butanethiol , and 2 - phenylethanethiol . minor volatile components identified from this secretion were : phenylmethanethiol , 2 - methylquinoline , 2 - quinolinemethanethiol , bis [ ( e ) - 2 - butenyl ] disulfide , ( e ) - 2 - butenyl 3 - methylbufyl disulfide , bis ( 3 - methylbutyl ) disulfide . all of these compounds except 2 - phenylethanethioi have been identified previously from the striped skunk , mephitis mephitis . the thioacetate derivatives s - ( e ) - 2 - butenyl thioacetate , s - 3 - methylbutanyl thioacetate , and s - 2 - quinolinemethyl thioacetate found in the striped skunk were not seen in this species .
texas has five species of skunk — more than any other state — and that makes texas a darn good place to study skunks , if you’re into that kind of thing . bob dowler is .
a skunk may send its musk flying into the air if it feels threatened in any way whatsoever , or if it is startled ( a word of advice : skunks are startled very easily ) .
until just a few years ago , very little was known about the distribution and ecology of spotted skunks in the central and southern appalachian region . to help address this knowledge gap , the virginia department of game and inland fisheries ( dgif ) recently funded a 3 - year research project conducted by virginia tech’s department of fish and wildlife conservation . the project seeks to determine the population status of spotted skunks in virginia , investigate forest and landscape conditions that influence their distribution , and study their movement patterns and habitat selection .
in addition to performing a handstand before spraying a potential predator , the skunk also performs what foot stamping , which involves the skunk stamping its feet on the ground in order to warn an approaching predator . the stamping can be heard for several meters away and is usually followed by the skunk spraying its odorous solution . when these skunks encounter an egg that they want to eat they will straddle the egg with their front legs and bite the egg open . if this fails they will then proceed to use their front legs to push the egg back and kick it with one of their hind legs .
i couldn ' t wait to see what had been going on at the site . while no spotted skunks were discovered in my area , many other species and interesting behaviors were documented . i look forward to the opportunity to participate in this study again .
skunk coloration is the opposite of camouflage ; it’s to a skunk’s advantage to be conspicuous and recognized , since its defenses are so good . the rare animal that fails to stay clear may receive additional warnings such as forefoot stamping , tail raising , or a handstand with tail displayed forward like a big white pom - pom . spotteds can spray from the handstand , but usually return to all fours .