Current data (fossil, genetic) suggest that carnivores first appeared about 60 million years ago (Martin 1989; Wayne et al. 1989) and by about 45 million years ago four modern families of carnivores were recognized. Those families were the Viverridae (civets), Felidae (cats), Canidae (wolves), and Mustelidae (weasels). Note: modern mustelids cannot be traced back to the early mustelids (Kurtén and Anderson, 1980); there are no uniquely derived characters that unite them. It is possible that these early "mustelids" may have represented the ancestors to the brach of the phyogentic tree called the Mustelida (Eizirik et al. 2010). This group is composed of the four modern families, Mustelidae, Procyonidae, Ailuridae, and Mephitidae. The oldest known fossil skunk appeared about 12 million years ago (Wolsan 1999). However, recent genetic data indicate that skunks (Mephitidae) have been around for at least 30 to 40 million years (Wayne et al. 1989, Eizirik et al. 2010).

We at the Dragoo Institute recognize the following classification from Eizirik et al. (2010) of modern carnivores:

Order Carnivora

Systematics is the science dealing with the diversity of organisms and the relationships among them, and taxonomy is the theory and practice of classifying and naming organisms. The prevailing system of classification many systematists follow is one based on evolutionary histories or phylogenetic relationships. When skunks were reclassified (see Dragoo and Honeycutt 1997) and placed into their own family it was because of the phylogenetic relationships among skunks, weasels, and other carnivores based on molecular (DNA) data.

Skunks are classified in the Animal Kingdom, which distinguishes them from plants, fungi, and bacteria. Within this kingdom they are grouped with the animals that have a notochord (Phylum Chordata). For our purposes, this phylum contains the animals that have a spinal cord and vertebrae (Subphylum Vertebrata), and include such things as fish, amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals (Campbell 1993). Skunks, of course are mammals. These are the fuzzy animals with heterodont (different types) teeth, a single bone in the lower jaw, and nourish their young with milk secreted from mammary glands (Vaughan et al. 2000) Within the mammals, skunks are classified as members of the Order Carnivora.

Below is the classification of skunks that we follow.

Kingdom - Animalia
008
Oop! Don't have this one yet.
Anderson, E., 1989. The phylogeny of mustelids and the
systematics of ferrets. In: Seal, U.S., Thorne, E.T.,
Bogan, M.A., Anderson, S.H. (Eds.), Conservation Biology
and the Biology of the Black-Footed Ferret. Yale
University Press,New Haven and London, p. 209.
Árnason, Ú., Widegren, B., 1986. Pinniped phylogeny
enlightened by molecular hybridizations using highly
repetitive DNA. Mol. Biol. Evol. 3, 356-365.
Baer, G.M., 1994. Rabies - an historical-perspective.
Infectious Agents and Disease-Reviews Issues and
Commentary 3, 168-180.
Baskin, J.A., 1982. Tertiary Procyoninae (Mammalia:
Carnivora) of North America. Journal of Vertebrate
Paleontology 2, 71-93.
Blanton, J.D., Dyer, J., McBrayer, J., Rupprecht, C.E.,
2012. Rabies surveillance in the United Statesduring 2011.
JAVMA-J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 241, 712-722.
Blanton, J.D., Palmer, D., Rupprecht, C.E., 2010. Public
Veterinary Medicine: Public Health Rabies surveillance in
the United States during 2009. Journal of the American
Veterinary Medical Association 237, 646-657.
Bonaparte, C.L.J.L., 1845. Catalogo methodico dei
mammiferi Europei. Luigi di Giacomo Pirola, Milano.
Bryant, H.N., Russell, A.P., FLS, Fitch, W.D., 1993.
Phylogenetic relationships within the extant Mustelidae
(Carnivora): appraisal of the cladistic status of the
Simpsonian subfamilies. Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 108, 301-334.
Campbell, N.A., 1993. Biology. The Benjamin/Cummings
Publishing Company, Inc., Redwood City, California.
Charlton, K.M., Webster, W.A., Casey, G.A., 1991.
Skunk rabies. In: Baer, G.M. (Ed.), The Natural History
of Rabies. CRC Press, pp. 307-324.
Chomel, B.B., 1999. Rabies exposure and clinical disease
in animals. Rabies guidelines for medical professionals.
Veterinary Learning Systems, Trenton, NJ, 88pp, pp. 20-26.
Coues, E., 1877. Furbearing animals. Government Printing
Office, Washington.
de Mattos, C.C., de Mattos, C.A., Loza-Rubio, E.,
Aguilar-Setien, A., Orciari, L.A., Smith, J.S., 1999.
Molecular characterization of rabies virus isolates from
Mexico: implications for transmission dynamics and human
risk. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 61,
587-597.
Dragoo, J.W., 1993. The evolutionary relationships of the
skunks to each other and the rest of the weasels; with a
note on behavioral idiosyncrasies. Eleventh Great Plains
Wildlife Damage Control Workshop Proceedings, Kansas City,
MO, pp. 54-67.
Dragoo, J.W., 2009a. Family Mephitidae (skunks). In: Wilson,
D.E., Mittermeier, R.A. (Eds.), Handbook of the mammals of
the world. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, pp. 532-563.
Dragoo, J.W., 2009b. Nutrition and behavior of striped
skunks. Veterinary Clinics of North America Exotic Animal
Practice 12, 313-326.
Dragoo, J.W., Honeycutt, R.L., 1997. Systematics of
mustelid-like carnivores. J Mammal 78, 426-443.
Dragoo, J.W., Honeycutt, R.L., Schmidly, D.J., 2003.
Taxonomic status of white-backed hog-nosed skunks, genus
Conepatus (Carnivora: Mephitidae). J Mammal 84, 159-176.
Dragoo, J.W., Matthes, D.K., Aragon, A., Hass, C.C.,
Yates, T.L., 2004. Identification of skunk species submitted
for rabies testing in the desert southwest. Journal of
Wildlife Diseases 40, 371-376.
Dragoo, J.W., Sheffield, S.R., 2009. Conepatus leuconotus
(Carnivora: Mephitidae). Mammalian Species 827, 1-8.
Eizirik, E., Murphy, W.J., Koepfli, K.-P., Johnson, W.E.,
Dragoo, J.W., Wayne, R.K., O'Brien, S.J., 2010. Pattern
and timing of diversification of the mammalian order
Carnivora inferred from multiple nuclear gene sequences.
Mol Phylogenet Evol 56, 49-63.
Floyd, C.H., Van Vuren, D.H., Crooks, K.R., Jones, K.L.,
Garcelon, D.K., Belfiore, N.M., Dragoo, J.W., May, B., 2011.
Genetic differentiation of island spotted skunks, Spilogale
gracilis amphiala. J Mammal 92, 148-158.
Flynn, J.J., Nedbal, M.A., Dragoo, J.W., Honeycutt, R.L.,
2000. Whence the red panda? Mol Phylogenet Evol 17, 190-199.
Gehrt, S.D., 2005. Seasonal survival and cause-specific
mortality of urban and rural striped skunks in the absence
of rabies. J Mammal 86, 1164-1170.
Gill, T., 1872. Arrangement of the families of mammals with
analytical tables. Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections 11, 1-98.
Greenwood, R.J., Newton, W.E., Pearson, G.L., Schamber, G.J.,
1997. Population and movement characteristics of radio
collared striped skunks in North Dakota during an epizootic
of rabies. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 33, 226-241.
Gunson, J.R., Dorward, W.J., Schowalter, D.B., 1978.
Evaluation of rabies control in skunks in Alberta. Canadian
Veterinary Journal-Revue Veterinaire Canadienne 19, 214-220.
Hass, C.C., Dragoo, J.W., 2006. Rabies in hooded and striped
skunks in Arizona. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 42, 825-829.
Hunt, R.M., Jr., 1974. The auditory bulla in Carnivora:
An anatomical basis for reappraisal of carnivore evolution.
Journal of Morphology 143, 21-76.
Krebs, J.W., Rupprecht, C.E., Childs, J.E., 2000. Rabies
surveillance in the United States during 1999. Journal of
the American Veterinary Medical Association 217, 1799-1811.
Krebs, J.W., Wilson, M.L., Childs, J.E., 1995. Rabies,
epidemiology, prevention, and future research. J Mammal 76,
681-694.
Kurten, B., Anderson, E., 1980. Pleistocene Mammals of North
America. Columbia University Press, New York.
Ledje, C., Árnason, U., 1996a. Phylogenetic analyses of
complete cytochrome b genes of the order carnivora with
particular emphasis on the Caniformia. Journal of Molecular
Evolution 42, 135-144.
Ledje, C., Árnason, U., 1996b. Phylogenetic relationships
within caniform carnivores based on analyses of the
mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene. Journal of Molecular Evolution
43, 641-649.
Ledoux, R.G., Kenyon, A.J., 1975. Protides of the Mustelidae-II.
Immunologic relatedness. Comparative Biochemistry and
Physiology 51A, 213-217.
Linnaeus, C., 1758. Systema naturae per regna tria naturae,
secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus,
differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata.
Laurentii Salvii, Holmiae.
Loza-Rubio, E., Aguilar-Setien, A., Bahloul, C., Brochier,
B., Pastoret, P.P., Tordo, N., 1999. Discrimination between
epidemiological cycles of rabies in Mexico. Archives of
Medical Research 30, 144-149.
Martin, L.D., 1989. Fossil history of the terrestrial
Carnivora. In: Gittleman, J.L. (Ed.), Carnivore behavior,
ecology, and evolution. Comstock Publishing Associates,
Ithaca, NY.
Meslin, F.X., 1999. Global review of human and animal
rabies. Rabies: guidelines for medical professional.
Veterinary Learning Systems, Trenton, NJ 88 pp, pp. 9-11.
Neiswenter, S.A., Pence, D.B., Dowler, R.C., 2006. Helminths
of sympatric striped, hog-nosed, and spotted skunks in
west-central Texas. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 42, 511-517.
Nowak, R.M., 1991. Walker's mammals of the world. The Johns
Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London.
O'Brien, S.J., Martenson, J.S., Eichelberger, M.A., Thorne,
E.T., Wright, F., 1989. Genetic variation and molecular
systematics of the black-footed ferret. In: Seal, U.S.,
Thorne, E.T., Bogan, M.A., Anderson, S.H. (Eds.),
Conservation Biology and the Biology of the Black-Footed
Ferret. Yale University Press, New Haven and London, p. 209.
Parker, R.L., 1975. Rabies in skunks. In: Baer, G.M. (Ed.),
The natural history of rabies. Academic Press, New York,
pp. 41-51.
Perelman, P.L., Graphodatsky, A.S., Dragoo, J.W., Serdyukova,
N.A., Stone, G., Cavagna, P., Menotti, A., Nie, W.,
O'Brien, P.C.M., Wang, J., Burkett, S., Yuki, K., Roelke,
M.E., O'Brien, S.J., Yang, F., Stanyon, R., 2008.
Chromosome painting shows that skunks (Mephitidae,
Carnivora) have highly rearranged karyotypes. Chromosome Res
16, 1215–1231.
Petter, G., 1971. Origine, phylogenie et systematique des
blaireaux. Mammalia 35, 567-597.
Pocock, R.I., 1921 [1922]. On the external characters and
classification of the Mustelidae. Proceedings of the
Zoological Society of London 1921, 803-837.
Radinsky, L., 1973. Are stink badgers skunks? Implications
of neuroanatomy for mustelid phylogeny. J Mammal 54, 585-593.
Rhoads, S.N., 1894. A reprint of the North American Zoology,
by George Ord. Samuel N. Rhoads, Haddonfield, New Jersey.
Rosatte, R., Sobey, K., Dragoo, J.W., Gehrt, S.D., 2010.
Striped skunks and allies (Mephitis spp.). In: Gehrt, S.D.,
Riley, S.P.D., Cypher, B.L. (Eds.), Urban carnivores:
ecology, conflict, and conservation. The Johns Hopkins
University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, pp. 97-106.
Rosatte, R.C., 1984. Seasonal occurrence and habitat preference
of rabid skunks in southern Alberta. Canadian Veterinary
Journal-Revue Veterinaire Canadienne 25, 142-144.
Rosatte, R.C., Gunson, J.R., 1984a. Dispersal and home
range of striped skunks, Mephitis mephitis, in an area of
population reduction in southern Alberta. Canadian Field
Naturalist 98, 315-319.
Rosatte, R.C., Gunson, J.R., 1984b. Presence of neutralizing
antibodies to rabies virus in striped skunks from areas free
of skunk rabies in Alberta. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 20,
171-176.
Rosatte, R.C., Power, M.J., MacInnes, C.D., 1991. Ecology
of urban skunks, raccoons, and foxes in metropolitan Toronto.
In: Adams, L.W., Leedy, D.L. (Eds.), Wildlife Conservation in
Metropolitan Environments. National Institute for Urban
Wildlife, Columbia, MD, pp. 31-38.
Rosatte, R.C., Power, M.J., Macinnes, C.D., Campbell, J.B.
1992. Trap-vaccinate-release and oral vaccination for
rabies control in urban skunks, raccoons, and foxes. Journal
of Wildlife Diseases 28, 562-571.
Ruedas, L.A., Salazar-Bravo, J., Dragoo, J.W., Yates, T.L.
2000. The importance of being earnest: What, if anything,
constitutes a "Specimen examined?". Mol Phylogenet Evol 17,
129-132.
Schiaffini, M.I., Gabrielli, M., Prevosti, F.J., Cardoso, Y.P.,
Castillo, D., Bo, R., Casanave, E., Lizarralde, M., 2013.
Taxonomic status of southern South American Conepatus
(Carnivora: Mephitidae). Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 167, 327-344.
Schmidt-Kittler, N., 1981. Zur Stammesgeschichte der
marderverwandten Raubtiergruppen (Musteloidea, Carnivora).
Ecolgae Geologicae Helvetiae 74, 753-801.
Simpson, G.G., 1945. The principles of classification and a
classification of mammals. Bulletin of the American Museum
of Natural History 85, 1-350.
Tinline, R.R., 1988. Persistence of rabies in wildlife.
In: Campbell, J.B., Charlton, K.M. (Eds.), Rabies. Kluwer
Academic Publishers, Boston, pp. 301-322.
Tolson, N.D., Charlton, K.M., Stewart, R.B., Campbell, J.B.,
Wiktor, T.J., 1987. Immune response in skunks to a vaccinia
virus recombinant expressing the rabies virus glycoprotein.
Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research-Revue Canadienne
De Recherche Veterinaire 51, 363-366.
Vaughan, T.A., Ryan, J.M., Czaplewski, N.J., 2000.
Mammalogy. Saunders College Publishing, Fort Worth,
Texas.
Verts, B.J., 1967. The biology of the striped skunk.
University of Illinois Press, Urbana.
Wayne, R.K., Benveniste, R.E., Janczewski, D.N., O'Brien, S.J.,
1989. Molecular and biochemical evolution of the Carnivora.
In: Gittleman, J.L. (Ed.), Carnivore behavior, ecology, and
evolution. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY,
pp. 465-494.
Wolsan, M., 1999. Oldest mephitine cranium and its
implications for the origin of skunks. Acta Palaeontol.
Pol. 44, 223-230.
Wood, W.F., Sollers, B.G., Dragoo, G.A., Dragoo, J.W.
2002. Volatile components in defensive spray of the hooded
skunk, Mephitis macroura. J Chem Ecol 28, 1865-1870.
Wozencraft, W.C., 1989. The phylogeny of the Recent Carnivora.
In: Gittleman, J.L. (Ed.), Carnivore behavior, ecology, and
evolution. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY, pp.
495-535.
Wozencraft, W.C., 1993. Carnivora. In: Wilson, D.E.,
Reeder, D.M. (Eds.), Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic
and Geographic Reference. Smithsonian Institution Press,
Washington and London, pp. 279-348.
Wurster, D.H., Benirschke, K., 1968. Comparative cytogenetic
studies in the order Carnivora. Chromosoma 24, 336-382.
Wyss, A.R., Flynn, J.J., 1993. A phylogenetic analysis and
definition of the Carnivora. In: Szalay, F.S., Novacek, M.J.,
McKenna, M.C. (Eds.), Mammal phylogeny: Placentals.
Springer-Verlag, New York, NY, pp. 32-52.
Ferguson, A.W., McDonough, M.M., Guerra, G.I., Rheude, M.,
Dragoo, J.W., Ammerman, L.K., Dowler, R.C., 2017. Phylogeography of
a widespread small carnivore, the western spotted skunk (Spilogale
gracilis) reveals temporally variable signatures of isolation across
western North America. Ecology and Evolution 7, 4229-4240.
Shaffer, A.A., Dowler, R.C., Perkins, J.C., Ferguson, A.W., McDonough, M.M.,
Ammerman, L.K., 2018. Genetic variation in the eastern spotted skunk
(Spilogale putorius) with emphasis on the plains spotted skunk (S. p. interrupta).
J Mammal 99, 1237-1248.
Bell, Z., 2020. Genomic markers recognition of at least four forms of spotted
skunks in the Unitied States. Zoology and Physiology. University of Wyoming,
Laramie, Wyoming, p. 54.
McDonough, M. M., A. W. Ferguson, R. C. Dowler, M. E. Gompper, and
J. E. Maldonado. 2022. Phylogenomic systematics of the spotted skunks
(Carnivora, Mephitidae, Spilogale): Additional species diversity and
Pleistocene climate change as a major driver of diversification.
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 167:107266.
Dragoo, J. W., R. D. Bradley, R. L. Honeycutt, and J. W. Templeton. 1993.
Phylogenetic relationships among the skunks: a molecular perspective.
Journal of Mammalian Evolution 1:255–267.