Spilogale gracilis (western spotted skunk)
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Carnivora |
| Family | Mephitidae |
| Genus | Spilogale |
| Species | Spilogale gracilis |
| Common | western spotted skunk |
| Diet | Omnivorous |
| Habitat | Western US. Rocky bluffs and brush-bordered canyon streambeds. (An eastern US species is similar.) |
| Description | Body is black with white spots or broken white stripes. May do a handstand as a warning. |
| Skull Characteristics | Flattened with wide zygomatic arches. Carnassial more developed and mastoid region inflated compared to Mephitis. Less slope in back of skull. (skull photos are S. putorius, eastern species). |
| Notes | Links to more species information:
Smithsonian Animal Diversity Web |