Molina's hog-nosed skunk
| Molina's hog-nosed skunk | |
|---|---|
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Mustelidae |
| Genus: | Conepatus |
| Species: | C. chinga |
| Binomial name | |
| Conepatus chinga (Molina, 1782) | |
 | |
| Molina's hog-nosed skunk range | |
The Molina’s Hog-Nosed Skunk, Conepatus chinga, is similar to the common skunk with scent glands used to spray an odorous liquid to offend potential predators. However, they also have a resistance to pit viper venom to defend themselves in the environment that they live. They also have distinct thin white markings and a distinct pink, hog-like, fleshy nose.
Habitat
The Molina’s Hog-Nosed Skunk’s native range is throughout mid to southern South America, Chile, Peru, northern Argentina,Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and southern Brazil.[2] The mammal is therefore associated with temperate regions and open areas, mainly described as the Pampas biome [3] and preferring to live in open vegetation, shrub forest and rocky sloped areas.[2]
Population and Distribution
Typically they will live alone in an average home range size of about 1.66 individuals/km^2 with some overlapping and about six skunks per 3.5 km^2.[4] Although living in mostly solitary areas, the skunks will come together temporarily for mating purposes.[2]
Diet
Foraging mainly at night, the skunk is omnivorous eating birds, small mammals, eggs, insects, leaves, and fruit. The tooth morphology in the molina’s hog-nosed skunk, is different than most mammals in that their teeth are adapted to their omnivorous diet with grinding being the main function of the carnassial apparatus.[5]
Conservation Status
The skunk is listed as “Least Concerned” according to the IUNC Redlist. The main threats of the skunk are increased habitat destruction and fragmentation [6] from over exploitation of humans and grazing of agriculture. The skunk is also affected by the planning of new roads and road-kills. Due to improper planning, habitat destruction, and fragmentation, the skunk has started living around man-made structures and along fences and buildings.[6]
References
- ↑ Emmons, L. & Helgen, K. (2008). Conepatus chinga. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 [Afflerbaugh, K. 2002. "Conepatus chinga" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed September 10, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Conepatus_chinga/]
- ↑ [Kasper, C. B, et al. “Differential patterns of home-range, net displacement and resting sites use of Conepatus chinga in southern Brazil. Mammalian Biology 77 (2012): 358-362. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 October. 2013.]
- ↑ [Castillo, D.F., et al. “Spatial organization of Molina’s hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus chinga) in two landscapes of the Pampas grassland of Argentina.” Canadian Journal of Zoology 89 (2011): 229-238. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 October. 2013]
- ↑ [Felipe Bortolotto, et al. “Feeding Habits of Molina’s Hog-Nosed Skunk, Conepatus Chinga (Carnivora: Mephitidae) In The Extreme South of Brazil.” Zoologia (Curitiba) 2 (2011): 193. Directory of Open Access Journals. Web. 10 Sept. 2013.]
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 [Castillo, D.F., et al. 2011. “Denning ecology of Molina’s hog-nosed skunk in a farmland area in the Pampas grassland of Argentina.” The Ecological Society of Japan 26: 845-850. Academic Search Complete. Web. 7 November. 2013.]
- Infonatura
- The Andes: A Trekking Guide