Spilogale pygmaea Thomas 1898
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Carnivora
Mephitidae
Spilogale
Spilogale pygmaea

description: 9.
Pygmy Spotted Skunk
Spilogale pygmaea
French: Moufette naine / German: Zwerg-Fleckenskunk / Spanish: Mofeta chica
Taxonomy. Spilogale pygmaea Thomas, 1898,
Rosario, Sinaloa, W. Mexico.
Three subspecies are recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
S. p. pygmaea Thomas, 1898 — W Mexico (Pacific coastal regions of Sinaloa & Nayarit).
S. p. australis Hall, 1938 — W Mexico (Pacific coastal region from Michoacan to Guerrero & Oaxaca).
S. p. intermedia L.opez-Forment & Urbano, 1979 — W Mexico (Pacific coastal regions ofJalisco & Colima).
Descriptive notes. Head-body 19-21 cm,tail 6.7-7.3 cm (males) and 5.9-6.7 cm (females), hindfoot 2.3-4 cm, ear 1.8-3.3 cm; weight 150-320 g. Tail length has been used to distinguish the sexes. The Pygmy Spotted Skunk is the smallest of the skunks. The body is elongated and the legs are relatively short. This skunk has six continuous white stripes running down the back and sides; the rest of the fur color is brown to black. There is a white stripe across the forehead above the eyes that continues down the side of the body. Pygmy Spotted Skunks have a short rostrum with a black nose pad, short, rounded ears, short legs, and slender feet with small curved claws. The skull is small and fragile and does not have a sagittal crest. The dental formulais 13/3, C1/1, P 3/3, M 1/2 for a total of 34 teeth. These skunks have small canines but relatively large molars.
Habitat. These skunks inhabit deciduous tropical forest, semi-evergreen forest, and desert scrub. They have been observed in coastal sand dunes with only herbaceous vegetation for cover. They have a patchy distribution, but nearly all individuals have been captured in coastal habitats. However, remains have been found in owl pellets about 115 km from the coast at an altitude of 500 m. They are found from sea level up to 1630 m, but are generally found below 350 m. Pygmy Spotted Skunksare scarce, but if enough habitat is preserved, they are believed to be able to survive in disturbed environments.
Food and Feeding. Pygmy Spotted Skunks are opportunistic feeders and consume a variety of invertebrates. Rodents are not taken as frequently as by other spotted skunks, but may be selected as alternative prey when the availability of arthropods is low. Spiny pocket mice are common in the tropical dry forest, and during the dry season, their density is high. During this season rodents also may be easier to detect due to the desiccation ofleaflitter. Birds are rarely taken by these skunks and plant material is less likely to be consumed, although, highly digestible fruits may be eaten. Pygmy Spotted Skunks use food sources such as ants, beetles, and spiders in relation to their abundance in the environment. However, some invertebrates, such as insect larvae, millipedes and centipedes, are selected in higher abundance. True bugs (Hemiptera) tend to be avoided as do crickets and grasshoppers (Orthoptera). Pygmy Spotted Skunks will eat cockroaches (Blattaria) during the dry season; they may select food items in response to seasonal variation in prey abundance.
Activity patterns. They are nocturnal and den underground or in fallen logs, among rocks, or simply under dense vegetation. They will use dens dug by other animals such as gophers, squirrels, armadillos, and turtles. They use pathways and stream beds to move to and from bodies of water. Much of their activity occurs below the leaf litter or brush, where they search for the burrows of small rodents. Pygmy Spotted Skunks stomp their feet when threatened. They have been observed doing a partial handstand similar to other species of spotted skunks. Anal secretions are usually only released as a last resort.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. These skunks are solitary most of the year except during the breeding season. Males will defend their territory against other males, and only allow females access to their territory.
Breeding. Breeding occurs from April through August, with most births occurring around July and August. Gestation usually lasts from 43-51 days, and there may be a short period of delayed implantation. More than one litter per year may be produced. The number of young perlitter can range from one to six in this species. The young are born with fine white hair, but the skin pigmentation pattern is similar to that of adults. Newborn kits weigh about 7 g, and their eyes and ears do not open until they are 29-32 days old. Most of the teeth are present at 47 days.
Status and Conservation. Not listed with CITES. Classified as Vulnerable in The IUCN Red List. This skunk is locally abundant in certain areas, but is considered to be vulnerable throughout much of its range in Mexico due to habitat destruction as a result of tourist resort and road construction. These animals also have been stuffed and sold as souvenirs. Skulls have been recovered from barn owl pellets, and snakes and other carnivores probably prey on Pygmy Spotted Skunks. They have been found with various parasites including ticks, cestodes, nematode, and intestinal worms.
Bibliography. Cantu-Salazar (2002), Cantu-Salazar, Fernandez & Hidalgo-Mihart (2004), Cantu-Salazar, Hidalgo-Mihart et al. (2005), Ceballos & Miranda (1986), Ceballos & Oliva (2005), Hall (1938), Lopez-Forment & Urbano (1979), Medellin et al. (1998), Schreiber et al. (1989), Teska et al. (1981), Thomas (1898b).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2009, Mephitidae, pp. 532-562 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 1 Carnivores, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 559-560, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5684751