Conepatus cf. semistriatus (Boddaert)

VOSS, ROBERT S., 2003, A New Species of Thomasomys (Rodentia: Muridae) from Eastern Ecuador, with Remarks on Mammalian Diversity and Biogeography in the Cordillera Oriental, American Museum Novitates 3421, pp. 1-48 : 19

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).