C. humboldtii Skull Replica or Hog-Nosed Skunk measures 3.1 inches. Hog-Nosed Skunk Skull Replica is museum quality Polyurethane cast. Made in USA. 2-part skull (separate cranium and jaw).
C. humboldtii or Hog Nosed Skunk (Conepatus humboldtii), also known as the Patagonian hog-nosed skunk, is a species of hog-nosed skunk indigenous to the open grassy areas in the Patagonian regions of South Argentina and Chile. It belongs to the order Carnivora and the family Mephitidae.
This skunk is small and stocky, with a bare nose elongated for the purpose of finding ground beetles, grasshoppers and crickets. Hog Nosed Skunk has long claws and well developed forelimbs in order to dig to locate prey.
C. humboldtii fur is brownish-red with two symmetrical stripes on either side, extending to the tail. It ranges from 30 to 34 cm in body length, with a 17- to 21-cm tail. They usually weigh 1.5 to 3.0 kg.
Its teeth are specialized for the consumption of invertebrates and fruit, their lower molars are adapted for crushing such resistant foods. Similar adaptation of the molars is seen in the South American gray fox.
Like all South American hog-nosed skunks, it is smaller with a more primitive skull and tooth structure than North American skunks.Their feet are plantigrade and lay flat on the ground.
The soles are narrow. Five curved claws protrude outwards. The head is small and long and conical. A lingering thick fur tail lags behind.
There is high pressure from intraguild predation on C. humboldtii. It is often preyed upon and targeted competitively by larger carnivorans such as the culpeo, chilla fox, Geoffrey’s cat, pampas cat, Andean cat, and puma.
Hog-nosed skunks are crepuscular, active primarily at dawn and twilight. It does little in the way of active hunting, selecting prey that is easiest to capture. During the winter seasons, it shifts from its open grassy habitats to shrubs, forests, and mountainous areas as insect populations decline to seek alternative food sources.
C. humboldtii’s and C. chinga’s status as separate species is debated. There is a high degree of observed variation in coloration and pattern within the two species and observed differences are inconsistent.
Much of the variation in shape and size observed can be attributed to environmental influence. Morphological comparisons also show a wide overlap in skull and mandibular structure.
