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Lifespan, longevity, and ageing

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Maximum longevity: 10 years (captivity) Observations: One specimen was about 10 years old when it died in captivity (Richard Weigl 2005). Still, maximum longevity could be underestimated in this species.
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Behavior

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Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical

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Afflerbaugh, K. 2002. "Conepatus chinga" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Conepatus_chinga.html
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Kevin Afflerbaugh, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Kate Teeter, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Conservation Status

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Information concerning the status of C. chinga is lacking, but it is considered uncommon. One subspecies, C. chinga rex, is rare due to hunting for its pelt. More studies are needed to effectively determine the status of this animal (Walker 1991).

US Migratory Bird Act: no special status

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

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Afflerbaugh, K. 2002. "Conepatus chinga" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Conepatus_chinga.html
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Kevin Afflerbaugh, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Kate Teeter, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Benefits

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The remote location of its range has prevented too much contact with humans in a negative sense, but C. chinga is known to carry diseases such as rabies and Trypanosoma cruzi (Pietrokovsky et al, 1991).

Negative Impacts: causes or carries domestic animal disease

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Afflerbaugh, K. 2002. "Conepatus chinga" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Conepatus_chinga.html
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Kevin Afflerbaugh, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Kate Teeter, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Benefits

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Conepatus chinga aids local farmers by eating small mammals and insects that may hurt their crops. Additionally, its fur is used in the fur trade (Walker 1991).

Positive Impacts: controls pest population

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Afflerbaugh, K. 2002. "Conepatus chinga" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Conepatus_chinga.html
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Kevin Afflerbaugh, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Kate Teeter, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Associations

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Conepatus chinga is an uncommon medium sized carnivore in its range. It provides a source of food for animals such as snakes and other larger predators, although due to its defensive spray, predators tend to avoid it. As an omnivore, it eats a wide range of foods (Walker 1991).

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Afflerbaugh, K. 2002. "Conepatus chinga" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Conepatus_chinga.html
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Kevin Afflerbaugh, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Kate Teeter, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Trophic Strategy

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Conepatus chinga is an omnivore, foraging mainly at night. It uses its fleshy long nose and claws to dig in the soil searching for its favorite food, beetles and spiders. It will also dine on other foods, such as small mammals, eggs, fledgling birds, vegetation or fruit. During the summer, it feeds quite heavily on insects, but in the winter, it will eat a wide variety of other foods because of the lack of insects (Travaini et al., 1998).

Animal Foods: birds; mammals; eggs; insects; terrestrial non-insect arthropods

Plant Foods: leaves; fruit

Primary Diet: omnivore

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Afflerbaugh, K. 2002. "Conepatus chinga" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Conepatus_chinga.html
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Kevin Afflerbaugh, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Kate Teeter, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Distribution

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Conepatus chinga is found in mid to southern South America. Its range includes Chile, Peru, northern Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil (Grzimek, 1990). Its range overlaps that of the other closely related Hog-nosed skunk such as Conepatus humboldti and Conepatus semistriatus.

Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )

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Afflerbaugh, K. 2002. "Conepatus chinga" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Conepatus_chinga.html
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Kevin Afflerbaugh, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Kate Teeter, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Habitat

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Conepatus chinga prefers the open vegetation areas offered by canyons and steppes while foraging or traveling. During rest periods, it perfers the seclusion offered by shrub forests and rocky slope areas (Donadio et all, 2001).

Range elevation: 400 to 4100 m.

Habitat Regions: terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: scrub forest

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Afflerbaugh, K. 2002. "Conepatus chinga" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Conepatus_chinga.html
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Kevin Afflerbaugh, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Kate Teeter, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Life Expectancy

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Much is unknown about the lifespan of Conepatus chinga, but recent studies have shed the light on its duration. It is thought to live approximately 4 to 6 years in the wild. A captive Conepatus leuconotus lived 8 years and 8 months in captivitiy. (Walker 1991)

Average lifespan
Status: wild:
6 years.

Range lifespan
Status: captivity:
8.7 (high) years.

Average lifespan
Status: captivity:
6.6 years.

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Afflerbaugh, K. 2002. "Conepatus chinga" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Conepatus_chinga.html
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Kevin Afflerbaugh, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Kate Teeter, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Morphology

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Conepatus chinga is medium sized, weighing approximately 2.3 to 4.5 kg, and measuring anywhere from 460 to 900 mm long from nose to tail. It has characteristic skunk coloring with generally black fur and 2 white stripes running from the top of the head down the sides of the body to a mostly white tail. It lacks the white stripe down the middle of its face that is common in Mephitis mephitis. Conepatus chinga also has a distintive nose, which is fairly broad and fleshy much like its common name suggests (Walker 1991).

Conepatus chinga also posseses a powerful anal scent gland common to the skunk family that is used defensively as a spray.

Range mass: 2.3 to 4.5 kg.

Range length: 460 to 900 mm.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry

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Afflerbaugh, K. 2002. "Conepatus chinga" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Conepatus_chinga.html
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Kevin Afflerbaugh, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Kate Teeter, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Associations

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Conepatus chinga possesses one of the most familiar anti-predator adaptations, using its anal scent glands to spray a foul smelling liquid on potential predators (Walker 1991). Another adaptation is their resistance to pitviper venom. This aids them in protection from the vipers who may be hunting them (Walker 1991).

Known Predators:

  • snakes (Serpentes)
  • birds of prey (Falconiformes)
  • South American foxes (Lycalopex)
  • humans (Homo sapiens)
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Afflerbaugh, K. 2002. "Conepatus chinga" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Conepatus_chinga.html
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Kevin Afflerbaugh, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Kate Teeter, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Reproduction

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Though solitary during the year, males wander in search of mature females in during the breeding season in late February and early March. Very little is known as to the specifics of the mating rituals (Grzimek 1990).

Mating System: polygynandrous (promiscuous)

The breedings season for C. chinga is generally in late February. Solitary for most of the year, mature males seek females for mating during this time. Females generally are impregnated by March and give birth to litters of 2 to 5 in late April or early May. Gestation period is approximately 2 months. The young are sexually mature at 10 to 12 months of age (Walker 1991).

Breeding season: Spring

Range number of offspring: 2 to 5.

Average gestation period: 2 months.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 10 to 12 years.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 10 to 12 years.

Key Reproductive Features: seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous

Females are the sole caretakers of the young. The young are weaned generally in 8-10 weeks and are foraging on their own by August. Soon after they will leave the mother in search of their own territories (Walker 1991).

Parental Investment: altricial ; female parental care

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Afflerbaugh, K. 2002. "Conepatus chinga" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Conepatus_chinga.html
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Kevin Afflerbaugh, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Kate Teeter, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Molina's hog-nosed skunk

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Molina's hog-nosed skunk, also called the Andes skunk (Conepatus chinga), is a skunk species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Paraguay, and Uruguay, at elevations up to 5000 m.

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/km2 with some overlapping and about six skunks per 3.5 km2.[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 from 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 concern" according to the IUCN Red List. The main threats to the skunk are increased habitat destruction and fragmentation[6] from over exploitation of humans and grazing in 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

  1. ^ Emmons, L.; Schiaffini, M.; Schipper, J. (2016). "Conepatus chinga". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41630A45210528. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41630A45210528.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Afflerbaugh, Kevin (2002). "Conepatus chinga". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  3. ^ Kasper, Carlos B.; et al. (2012). "Differential patterns of home-range, net displacement and resting sites use of Conepatus chinga in southern Brazil". Mammalian Biology. 77 (5): 358–362. doi:10.1016/j.mambio.2012.03.006.
  4. ^ Castillo, D. F.; et al. (2011). "Spatial organization of Molina's hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus chinga) in two landscapes of the Pampas grassland of Argentina". Canadian Journal of Zoology. 89 (3): 229–238. doi:10.1139/Z10-110.
  5. ^ Peters, Felipe Bortolotto; et al. (April 2011). "Feeding Habits of Molina's Hog-Nosed Skunk, Conepatus Chinga (Carnivora: Mephitidae) In The Extreme South of Brazil". Zoologia (Curitiba). 28 (2): 193. doi:10.1590/S1984-46702011000200006. The grinding function of the carnassial ap-paratus in skunks (Vaughan et al. 1999) is considered to be appropriate for a diet with a predominance of beetles: small prey that offer lower physical resistance.
  6. ^ a b Castillo, Diego F.; et al. (July 2011). "Denning ecology of Molina's hog-nosed skunk in a farmland area in the Pampas grassland of Argentina". Ecological Research. The Ecological Society of Japan. 26 (4): 845–850. doi:10.1007/s11284-011-0855-y. S2CID 35862526. Increasing habitat destruction and fragmentation has a tremendous influence on mesocarnivore communities.
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Molina's hog-nosed skunk: Brief Summary

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Molina's hog-nosed skunk, also called the Andes skunk (Conepatus chinga), is a skunk species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Paraguay, and Uruguay, at elevations up to 5000 m.

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