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Skunks are mammals in the family Mephitidae.They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their anal glands.Different species of skunk vary in appearance from black-and-white to brown, cream or ginger colored, but all have warning coloration.
Hooded skunks are solitary, but they might interact at a feeding ground without showing any signs of aggression. [11] They shelter in a burrow or a nest of thick plant cover during the day and are active at night. Like M. mephitis, for self-defense, they spray volatile components from their anal glands. [12]
The hair on the tail is mostly black, but is white at the tip, and sometimes also on the upper surface. The claws on the fore-feet are longer, and more curved, than those on the hind feet. [3] The western spotted skunk's unique black and white pattern of spots and stripes and its small size differentiate them from regular striped skunks. [5]
The eastern spotted skunk has a small weasel-like body with fine, dense black fur that has 4 to 6 broken, white stripes. [8] Two of the stripes are located at the median of the body and four stripes are placed on the side running from the back of the head to the rear. White markings are present on both cheeks, as well as on the tip of the tail.
The distinguishing feature of the American hog-nosed skunk is it has a single, broad white stripe from the top of the head to the base of the tail, with the tail itself being completely white. It is the only skunk that lacks a white dot or medial bar between the eyes and has primarily black body fur.
They’re easy to identify by the two white stripes that run down their backs and tails. Striped skunks are found across North America, including America, northern Mexico and southern Canada.
The two major thiols of the striped skunks, (E)-2-butene-1-thiol and 3-methyl-1-butanethiol are the major components in the secretion of the spotted skunks along with a third thiol, 2-phenylethanethiol. [13] Thioacetate derivatives of the three thiols are present in the spray of the striped skunks but not the spotted skunks.
It can be identified by an arrangement of white stripes on black fur, running vertically down the back. There are 4 to 6 stripes and they are usually broken up to give the skunk its “spotted” appearance. The abdomen is white and there is also a small white triangle on the forehead. On average, males tend to be about 23% larger than females. [3]