Conepatus cf. semistriatus (Boddaert)

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: None.

OTHER MATERIAL: I examined a single specimen (AMNH 66719) that was collected by H.E. Anthony at 4145 m on Cerro Antisana in 1923. Other material that I have not seen (Diego Tirira, personal commun.) includes one specimen from 4200 m on Cerro Antisana (QCAZ 0638), and another from 2800 m near Cuyuja (E of Papallacta on the road to Baeza; QCAZ 0726) .

TAXONOMY: Ecuadorean hog­nosed skunks are currently referred to Conepatus semistriatus (e.g., by Cabrera, 1958; Kipp, 1965; Wozencraft, 1993), but no substantive analysis of character data is apparently available to justify this convention. 5 Van Gelder’s (1968) detailed analysis of variation in cranial and pelage traits within a very large Uruguayan sample of Conepatus could serve as the basis for a much­needed revision of this genus in South America.

REMARKS: Although none were seen in the course of our fieldwork, skunks are said to be common in local páramo habitats (Black, 1982).