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Skunks
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. While related to polecats and other members of the weasel family, skunks have as their closest relatives the Old World stink badgers. Taxonomy In alphabetical order, the living species of skunks are: * Family Mephitidae ** Genus: ''Conepatus'' *** ''Conepatus chinga'' – Molina's hog-nosed skunk *** ''Conepatus humboldtii'' – Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk *** ''Conepatus leuconotus'' – American hog-nosed skunk *** ''Conepatus semistriatus'' – striped hog-nosed skunk ** Genus: '' Mephitis'' *** ''Mephitis macroura'' – hooded skunk *** ''Mephitis mephitis'' – striped skunk ** Genus: ''Spilogale'' *** ''Spilogale angustifrons'' – southern spotted s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Striped Skunk
The striped skunk (''Mephitis mephitis'') is a skunk of the genus '' Mephitis'' that occurs across much of North America, including southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. It is currently listed as least concern by the IUCN on account of its wide range and ability to adapt to human-modified environments. Striped skunks are polygamous omnivores with few natural predators, save for birds of prey. Like all skunks, they possess highly developed musk-filled scent glands to ward off predators. They have a long history of association with humans, having been trapped and captively bred for their fur and kept as pets. The striped skunk is one of the most recognizable of North America's animals, and is a popular figure in cartoons and children's books. Taxonomy The striped skunk was first formally named by Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber as ''Viverra mephitis''. The type locality is in eastern Canada. Evolution and subspecies The earliest fossil finds attributable ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Humboldt's Hog-nosed Skunk
Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk (''Conepatus humboldtii''), also known as the Patagonian hog-nosed skunk, is a type of hog-nosed skunk indigenous to the open grassy areas in the Patagonian regions of South Argentina and Chile. It belongs to the order Carnivora and the family Mephitidae. Appearance This skunk is small and stocky, with a bare nose elongated for the purpose of finding ground beetles, grasshoppers and crickets.Zapata, Sonia C.; Travaini, Alejandro; Martínez-Peck, Rolando (January 2001), "Seasonal feeding habits of the Patagonian hog-nosed skunk Conepatus humboldtii in southern Patagonia", Acta Theriologica, 46: 97–102 Its fur is brownish-red with two symmetrical stripes on either side, extending to the tail. It ranges from 30–34 cm in body length, with a 17- to 21-cm tail. They usually weigh 1.5 to 3.0 kg. The skunk has long claws and well developed forelimbs in order to dig to locate prey. Physiology Its teeth are specialized for the consumption of i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Catherine Of Siena
Catherine of Siena (Italian: ''Caterina da Siena''; 25 March 1347 – 29 April 1380), a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic, was a mystic, activist, and author who had a great influence on Italian literature and on the Catholic Church. Canonized in 1461, she is also a Doctor of the Church. Born and raised in Siena, she wanted from an early age to devote herself to God, against the will of her parents. She joined the " mantellates", a group of pious women, primarily widows, informally devoted to Dominican spirituality. Her influence with Pope Gregory XI played a role in his 1376 decision to leave Avignon for Rome. The Pope then sent Catherine to negotiate peace with Florence. After Gregory XI's death (March 1378) and the conclusion of peace (July 1378), she returned to Siena. She dictated to secretaries her set of spiritual treatises ''The Dialogue of Divine Providence''. The Great Schism of the West led Catherine of Siena to go to Rome with the pope. She sent numerou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Jesuit Relations
''The Jesuit Relations'', also known as ''Relations des Jésuites de la Nouvelle-France'', are chronicles of the Jesuit missions in New France. The works were written annually and printed beginning in 1632 and ending in 1673. Originally written in French, Latin, and Italian, ''The Jesuit Relations'' were reports from Jesuit missionaries in the field to their superiors to update them as to the missionaries' progress in the conversion of various Indigenous North American tribes, including the Huron, Montagnais, Mi ' kmaq, Mohawk, and Algonquins. Constructed as narratives, the original reports of the Jesuit missionaries were subsequently transcribed and altered several times before their publication, first by the Jesuit overseer in New France and then by the Jesuit governing body in France. The Jesuits began to shape the ''Relations'' for the general public, in order to attract new settlers to the colony and to raise enough capital to continue the missions in New France. Overall, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Proto-Algonquian
Proto-Algonquian (commonly abbreviated PA) is the proto-language from which the various Algonquian languages are descended. It is generally estimated to have been spoken around 2,500 to 3,000 years ago, but there is less agreement on where it was spoken. The Algonquian family, which is a branch of the larger Algic languages, Algic language family, is usually divided into three subgroups: Eastern Algonquian languages, Eastern Algonquian, which is a historical linguistics, genetic subgroup, and Central Algonquian languages, Central Algonquian and Plains Algonquian languages, Plains Algonquian, both of which are Sprachbund, areal groupings. In the historical linguistics of North America, Proto-Algonquian is one of the best studied, most thoroughly reconstructed proto-languages. It is descended from Proto-Algic. History of research Most Algonquian languages are similar enough that their relatedness has been recognized for centuries and was commented on by the early English and French ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Abenaki Language
Abenaki (''Eastern: Alənαpαtəwéwαkan, Western: Alnôbaôdwawôgan'') is an endangered Algonquian language of Quebec and the northern states of New England. The language has Eastern and Western forms which differ in vocabulary and phonology and are sometimes considered distinct languages. Eastern Abenaki languages are spoken by several peoples, including the Miꞌkmaq, Maliseet, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot of coastal Maine. The last known natively fluent speaker of Penobscot, Madeline Shay, died in 1993. However, several Penobscot elders still speak Penobscot, and there is an ongoing effort to preserve it and teach it in the local schools; much of the language was preserved by Frank Siebert. Other dialects of Eastern Abenaki such as Caniba and Aroosagunticook are documented in French-language materials from the colonial period. In 2006, five speakers of Western Abenaki were recorded. History In ''Reflections in Bullough's Pond'', historian Diana Muir argues that Aben ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Algonquian Languages
The Algonquian languages ( or ; also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Indigenous languages of the Americas, indigenous American languages that include most languages in the Algic languages, Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin language, Algonquin dialect of the Indigenous Ojibwe language (Chippewa), which is a senior member of the Algonquian language family. The term ''Algonquin'' has been suggested to derive from the Maliseet word (), "they are our relatives/allies". A number of Algonquian languages are considered extinct languages by the modern linguistic definition. Algonquian peoples, Speakers of Algonquian languages stretch from the east coast of North America to the Rocky Mountains. The proto-language from which all of the languages of the family descend, Proto-Algonquian language, Proto-Algonquian, was spoken around 2,500 to 3,000 years ago. There is no scholarly consensus about wh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pygmy Spotted Skunk
The pygmy spotted skunk (''Spilogale pygmaea'') is a species of mammal in the family Mephitidae. It is endemic to Mexico. Distribution and habitat The pygmy skunk inhabits along the Pacific coast of Mexico. It is found in woodlands and thickets in rocky soil. They avoid dense forests and swamps. It dens in burrows, but can take refuge in trees. Description The spotted skunks are the most similar to the weasels of the skunks. It has a slimmer body, and tail coat thinner and smaller than their close relatives. It reaches a length of 115–345 mm with a tail of 70–120 mm. Its coat has a black background with white spots on the forehead and characteristics of 2-6 white stripes on the back and flanks. The bands become spots on the back later. The tip of the tail is often white. Like all skunks, it has two large scent glands in the perianal region. Reproduction The mating season occurs in September or October, but the delayed implantation of the embryo lasts until March ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eastern Spotted Skunk
The eastern spotted skunk (''Spilogale putorius'') is a small, relatively slender skunk found in North America, throughout the eastern United States and in small areas of Canada and Mexico. This small skunk is more weasel-like in body shape than the more familiar striped skunk. The eastern spotted skunk has four stripes on its back which are broken in pattern, giving it a "spotted" appearance. They have a white spot on their forehead. They are found in Canada (southeast Manitoba and northwestern Ontario), the United States and northeastern Mexico. Males, at in total length, are larger than females, at . The tail accounts for roughly a third of their total length. Body mass can range from , with males averaging around against the female's average of . Skull length is . The eastern spotted skunk is a very small skunk, no larger than a good-sized tree squirrel. They are much more active than any other type of skunk. They have mostly the same predators as any other skunk (big cats ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Western Spotted Skunk
The western spotted skunk (''Spilogale gracilis'') is a spotted skunk of western North America. Description With a total length of , the western spotted skunk is smaller than the striped skunk (''Mephitis mephitis''). Males, which weigh , are significantly heavier than females, at , but only about 6% longer, on average. The adult is boldly striped black and creamy white, with three longitudinal stripes on each side of the front part of the body, and three vertical stripes on the hind-parts. One pair of longitudinal stripes runs either side of the spine, with the second pair running over the shoulders, and extending forward onto the face. The third pair is lower over the shoulders, and curves downward at the middle of the body to form the first pair of vertical stripes. Behind this, the second pair of vertical stripes rise from the knees to the rump, while the final stripes are often little more than spots. In special cases, the normally black areas of the fur can appear in shades ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Southern Spotted Skunk
The southern spotted skunk (''Spilogale angustifrons'') is a species of mammal in the skunk family, (Mephitidae). It ranges from Costa Rica to southern Mexico. At one time this skunk was considered to be a subspecies of the eastern spotted skunk (''Spilogale putorius''). Description The southern spotted skunk grows to a length of with a tail length of and weighs between . It is conspicuously coloured in black and white and resembles the western spotted skunk in appearance. It has anal glands beneath the tail which secrete musk which can be sprayed with considerable accuracy at a predator. Distribution and habitat The southern spotted skunk is native to Central America where its range includes Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Belize. It is present at altitudes of up to in dry rocky areas with scrub and open woodland, and also in agricultural areas. Behaviours The southern spotted skunk is nocturnal and secretive in its habits. It climbs trees ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Striped Skunk
The striped skunk (''Mephitis mephitis'') is a skunk of the genus '' Mephitis'' that occurs across much of North America, including southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. It is currently listed as least concern by the IUCN on account of its wide range and ability to adapt to human-modified environments. Striped skunks are polygamous omnivores with few natural predators, save for birds of prey. Like all skunks, they possess highly developed musk-filled scent glands to ward off predators. They have a long history of association with humans, having been trapped and captively bred for their fur and kept as pets. The striped skunk is one of the most recognizable of North America's animals, and is a popular figure in cartoons and children's books. Taxonomy The striped skunk was first formally named by Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber as ''Viverra mephitis''. The type locality is in eastern Canada. Evolution and subspecies The earliest fossil finds attributable ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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