Western Hog-nosed Skunk
Encyclopedia
Recent work has concluded that the western hog-nosed skunk or common hog-nosed skunk (formerly Conepatus mesoleucus) is the same species as the American hog-nosed skunk
, and that Conepatus leuconotus is the correct name of the merged populations. This species of hog-nosed skunk
is native from the southwestern United States
(Arizona
to southern Texas
) south through Mexico
to Nicaragua
. In Texas, it is commonly known as the rooter skunk for its habit of rooting and overturning rocks and debris in search of food.
The western hog-nosed skunk is a large skunk averaging about 55-60cm in total length, with males slightly larger than females. Western hog-nosed skunks have a single, broad white stripe from the top of the head to the base of the tail, with the tail itself being completely white. The rest of the body is black.
This species tends to inhabit rocky foothills and brushy areas where den space is readily available, avoiding hot deserts and forests. It is omnivorous, feeding primarily on insects and vegetation, though it will take small mammals and reptiles when available. While sometimes considered a pest by crop farmers due to their rooting habits, this is largely misplaced, as it generally prefers insects to agricultural plants. Like all skunk species, it possesses powerful anal glands used to deter would-be attackers.
Though not threatened through most of its range, one subspecies, the Big Thicket hog-nosed skunk (C. m. telmalestes) of southeastern Texas
, is now considered extinct by the IUCN.
American Hog-nosed Skunk
The American hog-nosed skunk is a species of hog-nosed skunk from Central and North America, and is one of the largest skunk in the world, growing to lengths of up to 2.7 feet...
, and that Conepatus leuconotus is the correct name of the merged populations. This species of hog-nosed skunk
Hog-nosed skunk
The hog-nosed skunks belong to the genus Conepatus and are members of the family Mephitidae . They are native to the Americas. They have white backs and tails and black underparts...
is native from the southwestern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
to southern Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
) south through Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
. In Texas, it is commonly known as the rooter skunk for its habit of rooting and overturning rocks and debris in search of food.
The western hog-nosed skunk is a large skunk averaging about 55-60cm in total length, with males slightly larger than females. Western hog-nosed skunks have a single, broad white stripe from the top of the head to the base of the tail, with the tail itself being completely white. The rest of the body is black.
This species tends to inhabit rocky foothills and brushy areas where den space is readily available, avoiding hot deserts and forests. It is omnivorous, feeding primarily on insects and vegetation, though it will take small mammals and reptiles when available. While sometimes considered a pest by crop farmers due to their rooting habits, this is largely misplaced, as it generally prefers insects to agricultural plants. Like all skunk species, it possesses powerful anal glands used to deter would-be attackers.
Though not threatened through most of its range, one subspecies, the Big Thicket hog-nosed skunk (C. m. telmalestes) of southeastern Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, is now considered extinct by the IUCN.
External links
- Western Hog-nosed Skunk at Mammals of Texas
- Common Hog-nosed Skunk at Lioncrusher's Domain