What family do skunks belong to?

Understand the Problem

The question is asking about the biological classification of skunks, specifically the family they belong to within the animal kingdom.

Answer

Mephitidae

The final answer is Mephitidae

More Information

Skunks were once thought to belong to the Mustelidae family, which includes weasels and otters. However, genetic studies have reclassified them into their own family, Mephitidae, which is derived from the Latin word for 'bad odor'.

Tips

A common mistake is to still classify skunks under the Mustelidae family due to older classification systems. Always check the most recent taxonomic classifications.

Sources

Skunk | The Canadian Encyclopedia - thecanadianencyclopedia.ca
Mephitidae - Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org
Skunk - Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org

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