A provisional classification of Hog-nosed Skunks, genus Conepatus Gray, 1837 (Mammalia, Carnivora, Mephitidae), from the Nearctic and Neotropical regions

The Hog-nosed Skunks, genus Conepatus Gray, 1837 (Mammalia, Carnivora, Mephitidae), are among the taxonomically least-studied groups of New World carnivores. Four species are currently recognized: C. amazonicus (Lichtenstein, 1838), C. chinga (Molina, 1782), C. leuconotus (Lichtenstein, 1832), and C. semistriatus (Boddaert, 1784). Species limits within the genus remain controversial owing to the historical reliance on limited comparative material, the absence of comprehensive revisionary studies, and complex patterns of morphological and geographic variation. This study presents an updated classification of the genus based on the examination of 471 museum specimens, including most available type specimens, complemented by multivariate analyses of cranial measurements. The results support the recognition of 13 species through the reinstatement of C. conepatl (Gmelin, 1788) and C. zorilla (J. B. Fischer, 1829) –distinct from C. semistriatus– and C. budini (Thomas, 1919), C. feuillei (P. Gervais, 1841), C. humboldtii (Gray, 1837), C. inca (Thomas, 1900), C. quitensis (Humboldt, 1812), C. rex (Thomas, 1898), and C. suffocans (Illiger, 1815) –distinct from C. chinga. Two species, C. inca and C. zorilla, are divided into subspecies. Four key factors appear to have shaped the geographic distribution and diversification of the genus: occupancy of open-vegetation biomes, geographic isolation caused by extensive tracts of dense and humid forest, inability to cross large rivers, and the evolution of biome-specific combinations of body size, cranial shape, and pelage characteristics. In South America, elevational gradients have also played an important role in speciation. This study provides a framework for future integrative revisions incorporating broader geographic sampling and molecular data to further resolve the remaining taxonomic uncertainties.