# 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. Mephitids in general are not domesticated, though skunks are sometimes kept as pets.
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 evidence resulted in the consensus to separate Mephitidae into its own family. Extinct species have also been placed into all of the extant genera besides Mydaus, as well as 9 extinct genera; 26 extinct Mephitidae species have been found, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed.

## Conventions

Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the mephetid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted. All extinct species or subspecies listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a dagger symbol "†". Population figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.

## Classification

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 Habitat: Rocky areas, forest, grassland, and desert Diet: Primarily eats insects, as well as fruit and small vertebrates | LC  Unknown |
| 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 Habitat: Shrubland, grassland, savanna, and rocky areas Diet: Primarily eats insects, as well as small mammals, shrubs, and fruit | LC  Unknown |
| 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 Habitat: Grassland, shrubland, and savanna Diet: Omnivorous; primarily eats invertebrates, rodents, small reptiles, and eggs | LC  Unknown |
| 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 Habitat: Grassland, shrubland, and forest Diet: Primarily eats insects, lizards, and birds | LC  Unknown |
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 Habitat: Desert, shrubland, rocky areas, grassland, and forest Diet: Primarily eats insects, fruit, small vertebrates, and bird eggs | LC  Unknown |
| 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 Habitat: Shrubland, savanna, forest, and grassland Diet: Primarily eats insects, as well as small mammals, birds, and vegetation | LC  Unknown |
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 Habitat: Forest, shrubland, and introduced vegetation Diet: Primarily eats worms and arthropods | LC  Unknown |
| 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 Habitat: Grassland, forest, and shrubland Diet: Primarily eats birds' eggs, carrion, insects, worms, and plants | LC  Unknown |
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 Habitat: Forest, rocky areas, shrubland, and grassland Diet: Omnivorous; primarily eats insects, as well as small mammals and birds | VU  Unknown |
| 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 Habitat: Shrubland, marine coastal/supratidal, and forest Diet: Primarily eats insects, spiders, birds, eggs, small mammals, fruit, and seeds | VU  Unknown |
| 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 Habitat: Forest and rocky areas Diet: Omnivorous; primarily eats insects, small mammals, fruit, grain, birds, and bird eggs | LC  Unknown |
| 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 Habitat: Inland wetlands, grassland, shrubland, rocky areas, savanna, and forest Diet: Primarily eats insects, small mammals, carrion, berries, and fruit | LC  Unknown |