Belongs within: Carnivora.
Contains: Procyonidae, Mustelidae, Conepatus.
The Musteloidea is a clade of mostly small-bodied carnivorans, including the weasels, raccoons and related taxa. Previously divided between the families Procyonidae and Mustelidae, more recent phylogenetic analyses have agreed in placing the skunks (Mephitidae) and red panda Ailurus fulgens outside the clade formed by the former two taxa. The skunks are omnivorous animals native to North and South America, commonly with contrasting black and white colour patterns and with defensive anal scent glands that produce a noxious spray.
Synapomorphies (from Flynn et al. 1988): Auditory bulla with caudal ectotympanic ventrally and posteriorly expanded, with relative shortening of carotid canal (reversed in some sublineages); alisphenoid canal absent; third upper and lower molars both absent.
<==Musteloidea [Melinae]MJ11 | i. s.: Megalictis Matthew 1907D07 | `--M. feroxD07 | BavarictisRDT09 | Aelurocyon Peterson 1906FNT88, SM93 | ZodiolestesFNT88 |--+--Mustelictis olivieriMJ11 | `--+--+--+--ProcyonidaeMJ11 | | | |--BroilianaWW04 | | | `--StromeriellaRDT09 | | `--+--+--PromartesRDT09 | | | `--+--MustelidaeMJ11 | | | `--Plesiogale Pomel 1847RDT09, SM93 | | `--Plesictis Pomel 1846RDT09, D07 | | |--P. genettoidesD07 | | |--P. himilidensD07 | | |--P. mayeriD07 | | `--P. viretiD07 | `--AiluridaeMJ11 | |--Amphictis Pomel 1853SA06, SM93 | | `--A. ambiguaMJ11 | `--+--Simocyon batalleriSA06 | `--AilurinaeSA06 | |--Magerictis imperialensisSA06 | `--+--Pristinailurus Wallace & Wang 2004WW04 | | `--*P. bristoli Wallace & Wang 2004WW04 | `--+--Ailurus fulgensWW04 | | |--A. f. fulgensR84 | | `--A. f. styaniR84 | `--ParailurusWW04 | |--P. anglicusWW04 | `--P. hungaricusWW04 `--+--MydausFS15 | |--M. javanensisFS15 | `--M. marcheiFS15 `--Mephitidae [Mephitinae]MJ11 | i. s.: Miomephitis Dehm 1950MJ11, SM93 | `--M. pilgrimiMJ11 |--+--Brachyprotoma obtusataFS15 | `--ConepatusFS15 `--+--MephitisFS15 | |--M. macroura Lichtenstein 1832MB86 | | |--M. m. macroura [incl. M. macroura vittata]G69 | | `--M. m. milleri Mearns 1897MB86 | |--M. mephitisDD06 | | |--M. m. mephitisB75 | | |--M. m. aviaB75 | | |--M. m. hudsonica Richardson 1829 [=M. americana var. hudsonica]B75 | | `--M. m. mesomelasB75 | `--M. putorius [incl. M. chinche]J23 `--SpilogaleFS15 |--S. pygmaeaFS15 `--+--S. gracilisFS15 | |--S. g. gracilisDD06 | |--S. g. amphialaDD06 | `--S. g. leucoparia Merriam 1890MB86 `--+--S. angustifrons Howell 1902FS15, MB86 [=S. gracilis angustifronsMB86] `--S. putoriusFS15 |--S. p. putoriusB75 |--S. p. ambarvalisJ68 |--S. p. interrupta (Rafinesque 1820) [=Mephitis interrupta]B75 `--S. p. tropicalisG69
*Type species of generic name indicated
References
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