Dwarf stain skunk
| Dwarf stain skunk | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Spilogale pygmaea | ||||||||||||
| Thomas , 1898 |
The dwarf spot skunk ( Spilogale pygmaea ) is a species in the skunks family and is endemic to Mexico on the Pacific coast of Nayarit and Chiapas .
features
This Skunk reaches a head-torso length of 12 to 35 cm, plus a 7 to 12 cm long tail. The basic color of the fur is black. There are white patterns on the head and the body has two to six white stripes that are arranged in a ring. The tail also tends to have white hair. The stink glands typical of Skunks are located on the anus .
distribution
The dwarf spotted skunk has an elongated distribution area on the Mexican Pacific coast , which extends between the states of Nayarit and Chiapas . Rocky areas with few trees and shrubs are usually chosen as the habitat . The species is rarely seen in dense forests and wetlands.
Way of life
This skunk is omnivorous but feeds more heavily on meat than other skunks. Typical prey animals are insects as well as smaller mammals, birds and reptiles. Furthermore fruits and berries are eaten.
Several specimens of the dwarf spotted skunk spend the winter together in earthworks, but they do not hibernate .
Mating usually occurs between September and October. Due to delayed implantation, the actual pregnancy does not begin until spring. Females are pregnant for about a month and then usually 3 to 6 young are born (rarely up to 9). The young are initially blind and open their eyes after a month. They are suckled for about two months. In autumn the young animals are fully grown and they will spend the next winter with their mother.
Systematics
|
Phylogenetic systematics of the Skunks
|
The dwarf spotted skunk is classified as a separate species within the genus of the spotted skunk ( Spilogale ), which consists of four species. The first scientific description comes from Oldfield Thomas from 1898 on the basis of an individual from Rosario in the Mexican state of Sinaloa . Occasionally the species was considered to be part of the Eastern Fleckenskunk ( Spilogale putorius ).
Within the spotted skunk, the phylogenetic position of the dwarf spotted skunk as well as the western spotted skunk has not been conclusively clarified; both could be the sister species of a taxon from the southern and eastern spotted skunk. The spotted skunks in their entirety represent the sister group of the striped skunks ( Mephitis ). Within the spotted skunks, radiation to the four species known today took place about 3 million years ago, making this genus the youngest within the skunks.
Today, within the species, the nominate form S. p. pygmaea and with S. a. australis and S. a. intermedia differentiated three subspecies.
Hazard and protection
The species is considered useful because it kills pests such as insects and rodents. Sometimes she gets caught in traps because of the fur. The main threat to the dwarf spotted skunk is habitat destruction.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is the only species of the genus that is classified as endangered ("vulnerable") due to the sharp decline in populations. It is believed that populations have declined by more than 30% within the last three generations or the last 15 years. The declines are mainly due to the loss of habitats for the species that are in areas of strong human population development and transformations for tourism. Despite the adaptability of the species, domestic animals such as dogs and cats in particular pose an increasing threat to human settlements.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c Katrin Nyakatura, Olaf RP Bininda-Emonds: Updating the evolutionary history of Carnivora (Mammalia): a new species-level supertree complete with divergence time estimates. BMC Biology 10, 2012. doi : 10.1186 / 1741-7007-10-12
- ↑ a b c d Don E. Wilson & DeeAnn M. Reeder (eds.): Spilogale pygmaea ( Memento from March 5, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) in Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed).
- ↑ a b Spilogale pygmaea in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013.1. Posted by: AD Cuarón, H. Helgen, 2008. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
Web links
- Spilogale pygmaea on Animal Diversity Web (eng.), With picture, read Nov. 12, 2010
- Wilson & Reeder (Red.) Mammal Species of the World , 2005, online
- Spilogale pygmaea inthe IUCN Red List of Endangered Species 2013.1. Posted by: AD Cuarón, H. Helgen, 2008. Retrieved August 8, 2010.