ACTIVITY PATTERNS OF TWO SYMPATRIC SPECIES OF SKUNKS (MEPHITIS MEPHITIS AND SPILOGALE GRACILIS) IN TEXAS.

Neiswenter, Sean A.; Dowler, Robert C.; Young, John H.

We used radiotelemetry to document and compare activity and movement between the western spotted skunk Spilogale gracilis, and the striped skunk Mephitis mephitis in Texas. Mephitis mephitis had a higher rate of movement than S. gracilis. Both species had highest rates of movement during autumn, coinciding with dispersal of young. With the exception of summer, M. mephitis was significantly more active than S. gracilis and generally took shorter breaks during nightly activity. We documented statistical differences in activity between species for all seasons. Highest activity of one species occurred during lowest activity of the other species, which may indicate avoidance of the larger more-dominant species, M. mephitis, by S. gracilis.

TEXAS; STRIPED skunk; WESTERN spotted skunk; RADIATION measurements; ANIMAL mechanics; HABITAT selection

Southwestern Naturalist, 2010, Vol 55, Issue 1, p16

0038-4909

Academic Journal

10.1894/PS-51.1