What the heck are they ?
2007-03-09 04:50:16 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
They are in the Mephitiae family. They used to be mustelids, but they have been separated in the past couple years. The mustelids all have that musky odor that gives them the characteristic smell. (Otters, skunks, ferrets, mink, wolverine, etc).
Basically, it goes like this from broad to specific in a simple sense: mammal (cats and rodents) to carnivora (with cats) to mephitiae. So they are slightly related to both, but are more closely related to ferrets than anything else.
2007-03-09 07:39:00 · answer #1 · answered by D 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Skunks: Order Carnivora
Family Mephytidae
So are closer to cats than rodents
2007-03-09 08:43:06 · answer #2 · answered by naturalista 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Skunks are rodents. They are in the family mustelidae. Cats are felines. Domesticus felinus. Domesticated cat. oops you guys just showed me they are in the new mphthwatchamacallit family. Mephitadae I think. Skunks that is.
2007-03-09 08:36:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rodents belong to the order of mammals "rodentia". Skunks are in the order of mammals "carnivora" and family "Mephitidae".
"Skunks were formerly considered to be a subfamily of the Mustelidae family of weasels and related animals (where some taxonomists still place them), but recent genetic evidence shows that they are not as closely related to the Mustelidae as formerly thought."
2007-03-09 05:23:17 · answer #4 · answered by LibraryGirl 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Rodents---No
Cats--------No
They are (don't tell anyone) the wandering spiritual essenci (the correct term----essences is wrong, wrong, wrong) that impinge on our consciousness as black and white animals. Very few are those who also know that they are edible, as they seldom are run over by gasoline powered vehicles bearing people and still remain in good enough condition to eat.
2007-03-09 07:42:45 · answer #5 · answered by JIMBO 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Skunks are weasils. Just like raccoons and badgers and ferrets and wolverines. A pretty diverse group.
2007-03-09 04:53:37 · answer #6 · answered by A.Mercer 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
rodents
2007-03-09 12:32:16 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Skunks are mammals.
Here's some more about them...including full taxonomic classification. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk
2007-03-09 04:58:36 · answer #8 · answered by puppyraiser8 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Neither, I think they're in the stinky varmint family.
2007-03-09 04:53:33 · answer #9 · answered by scooba 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
RODENTS!!!
2007-03-09 08:05:06 · answer #10 · answered by giddygirl401 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋