American Hog-nosed Skunk
Conepatus leuconotus

• Order: Carnivora
• Family: Mephitidae (Skunks)
• Species: Conepatus leuconotus (cone-eh-PAY-tus loo-ko-NOTE-us)
• Common English Names: American Hog-nosed Skunk
• Common Spanish Names: Zorrillo Cadeno

Conepatus leuconotus. Night-time photograph, U.S. National Park Service, Saguaro National Park.

Remarks

Until recently, the Chihuahuan Desert species of Hog-nosed Skunk was considered to be Conepatus mesoleucus. Recent work has concluded that the Eastern Hog-nosed Skunk and the Western Hog-nosed Skunk are not separate species; Conepatus leuconotus is the correct name of the merged populations under the rules of zoological nomenclature. The distribution map has not yet been corrected.

Last Update: 27 Jul 2009