Home/Species/ Desert Spotted Skunk

Spilogale leucoparia

C. H. Merriam, 1890

Desert Spotted Skunk

GNRUnranked Found in 8 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

GNRUnrankedGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1369469

Element CodeAMAJF05060

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVertebrate Animal

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomAnimalia

PhylumCraniata

ClassMammalia

OrderCarnivora

FamilyMephitidae

GenusSpilogale

Concept Reference

McDonough, M. M., A. W. Ferguson, R. C. Dowler, M. E. Gompper, and J. E. Maldonado. 2022 [2021]. Phylogenomic systematics of the spotted skunks (Carnivora, Mephitidae, Spilogale): additional species diversity and Pleistocene climate change as a major driver of diversification. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 167:107266.

Taxonomic Comments

Spilogale gracilis has been split into two distinct species by McDonough et al. (2022), the western spotted skunk, S. gracilis, and the desert spotted skunk, S. leucoparia.

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Brushy canyons, rocky outcrops (rimrock) on hillsides and walls of canyons. In semi-arid brushlands in U.S., in wet tropical forests in Mexico. When inactive or bearing young, occupies den in rocks, burrow, hollow log, brush pile, or under building.

Ecology

Adults are essentially solitary.

Reproduction

Females breed during late September-October. Implantation is delayed, total gestation period lasts 210-230 days. Litter size is 4-6. Young leave nest about 1 month after birth, follow mother until almost full grown. Sexually mature in 4-5 months.

Terrestrial Habitats

Woodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousDesertBare rock/talus/screeCropland/hedgerowSuburban/orchard

Palustrine Habitats

Riparian

Other Nations (1)

United StatesNNR

Province	Rank	Native
Nevada	SNR	Yes
California	SNR	Yes
Utah	SNR	Yes
Texas	S5	Yes
Colorado	SNR	Yes
New Mexico	SNR	Yes
Arizona	S5	Yes
Navajo Nation	SNR	Yes

Roadless Areas (8)

Arizona (3)

Area	Forest	Acres
Chiricahua	Coronado National Forest	76,876
Lower Rincon	Coronado National Forest	3,278
Whetstone	Coronado National Forest	20,728

Nevada (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Charleston - Macks Cyn	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	11,378
Potosi	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	5,145

New Mexico (3)

Area	Forest	Acres
Gila Box	Gila National Forest	23,759
Latir Peak	Carson National Forest	3,573
Virgin Canyon	Santa Fe National Forest	6,068

References (7)

American Society of Mammalogists (ASM). 2025. Mammal Diversity Database (Version 1.13) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10595931. Online. Available: https://www.mammaldiversity.org/
Coronel-Arellano, H., N. E. Lara-Díaz, C. E. Moreno, C. E. Gutiérrez-González, and C. A. López. 2018. Biodiversity conservation in the Madrean sky islands: community homogeneity of medium and large mammals in northwestern Mexico. Journal of Mammalogy 99(2):465-477.
Escalante, T., D. Espinosa, and J. J. Morrone. 2003. Using parsimony analysis of endemicity to analyze the distribution of Mexican land mammals. The Southwestern Naturalist 48(4):563-578.
Ferrari, L., M. López-Martínez, G. Aguirre-Díaz, and G. Carrasco-Núñez. 1999. Space-time patterns of Cenozoic arc volcanism in central Mexico: from the Sierra Madre Occidental to the Mexican Volcanic Belt. Geology 27(4):303-306.
Ingles, L. G. 1965. Mammals of the Pacific States. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California.
Leopold, A. S. 1959. Wildlife of Mexico. University of California Press, Berkeley.
McDonough, M. M., A. W. Ferguson, R. C. Dowler, M. E. Gompper, and J. E. Maldonado. 2022 [2021]. Phylogenomic systematics of the spotted skunks (Carnivora, Mephitidae, <i>Spilogale</i>): additional species diversity and Pleistocene climate change as a major driver of diversification. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 167:107266.