Mydaus
Encyclopedia
Mydaus is a genus
of Old World
carnivore
comprising two species of stink badger. There are two species - the Palawan stink badger
(M. marchei), and the Sunda stink badger or Teledu (M. javanensis). Stink badgers are named for the foul-smelling secretions that they expel from anal glands in self-defense (which is stronger in the Sunda species).
Stink badgers were traditionally thought to be related to true badger
s in the family
Mustelidae
(subfamily Melinae), but recent DNA analysis strongly suggests they are Old World counterparts to the New World skunk
s, and as such should be placed in the family Mephitidae.
The Palawan stink badger is sometimes classified in its own genus, Suillotaxus.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of Old World
Old World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
carnivore
Carnivora
The diverse order Carnivora |Latin]] carō "flesh", + vorāre "to devour") includes over 260 species of placental mammals. Its members are formally referred to as carnivorans, while the word "carnivore" can refer to any meat-eating animal...
comprising two species of stink badger. There are two species - the Palawan stink badger
Palawan Stink Badger
The Palawan stink badger is a small skunk that lives on the Philippine Islands of Palawan and Busuanga. They live primarily in the grasslands and in cultivated areas on these islands.- External links :*...
(M. marchei), and the Sunda stink badger or Teledu (M. javanensis). Stink badgers are named for the foul-smelling secretions that they expel from anal glands in self-defense (which is stronger in the Sunda species).
Stink badgers were traditionally thought to be related to true badger
Badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...
s in the family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
Mustelidae
Mustelidae
Mustelidae , commonly referred to as the weasel family, are a family of carnivorous mammals. Mustelids are diverse and the largest family in the order Carnivora, at least partly because in the past it has been a catch-all category for many early or poorly differentiated taxa...
(subfamily Melinae), but recent DNA analysis strongly suggests they are Old World counterparts to the New World skunk
Skunk
Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul odor. General appearance varies from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora...
s, and as such should be placed in the family Mephitidae.
The Palawan stink badger is sometimes classified in its own genus, Suillotaxus.