Project 960: X. Wang, O. Carranza-Castañeda, J. Aranda-Gómez. 2013. A transitional skunk, Buisnictis metabatos sp. nov. (Mephitidae, Carnivora), from Baja California Sur and the role of southern refugia in skunk evolution. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 12 (3):291-302.
Specimen: † Buisnictis metabos (CGJVP:2140)
View: lateral

Abstract

Fossil records for basal New World skunks (subfamily Mephitinae) have been slowly but steadily increasing in recent years. Fossils for both living and extinct genera are now dense enough that actual evolutionary steps leading to living clades are beginning to be resolvable. We document a new species of the extinct, transitional genera Buisnictis, B. metabatos sp. nov., from Early Pliocene San José del Cabo Basin, Baja California Sur, México. B. metabatos possesses a combination of primitive and derived features, including a broadened P4 protocone shelf, a notch anterior to the m1 entoconid, and relatively unexpanded M1 lingual cingulum. It thus fills in yet another morphological gap and it is at a basal position within or just outside of the living skunk clade. Although current records are still far too scattered to resolve detailed zoogeographical patterns, we are in a position to speculate that since the Early Pliocene, southern North America and Central America have acted as a refugium for skunks. As a basal skunk, Buisnictis metabatos probably gave rise to the modern crown clade. There is evidence to suggest that both spotted skunks (Spilogale) and hog-nosed skunks (Conepatus) had their centres of diversification in Mexico or Central America. The only exception may be the striped and hooded skunks (Mephitis), which have a more northerly distribution.


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Article DOI: 10.1080/14772019.2013.776647

Project DOI: 10.7934/P960, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P960
This project containsMatrices
  • 7 Media
  • 1 Matrix
  • 2 Documents
  • 22 Taxa
  • 6 Specimens
  • 37 Characters
Total size of project's media files: 6.35M

Download Project SDD File
Total scored cells: 644
Total media associated with cells: 0
Total labels associated with cell media: 0
Characters
Total characters: 37
Total characters with associated media: 0
Total characters with media with labels: 0
Total character states: 87
Total character states with associated media: 0
Total character states with media with labels:0
Total unordered/ordered characters:37/0
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MorphoBank Project 960

    Authors' Institutions

    • Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM)

    • Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), CAS

    • Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

    • Nanjing University



    Members

    member name taxa specimens media chars character
    media
    labels
    cell scorings
    (scored, NPA, "-")
    cell
    medialabels
    rules
    MorphoBank Curator
    Project Administrator
    22113700644
    (644, 0, 0)
    000
    Maureen Admin
    Full membership
    0560000
    (0, 0, 0)
    000
    Xiaoming Wang
    Full membership
    0000000
    (0, 0, 0)
    000


    Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M2382' (21 Taxa)

    taxon unscored
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    [1] † Amphicynodon
    Last Modified in 03/31/22
    2363500003
    [2] † Mustelavus
    Last Modified in 03/31/22
    4343300003
    [3] Mydaus
    Last Modified in 03/31/22
    0393700003
    [4] † Palaeomephitis
    Last Modified in 03/31/22
    24141300003
    [5] † Promephitis
    Last Modified in 03/31/22
    1383600003
    [6] † Martinogale faulli
    Last Modified in 03/31/22
    3363400003
    [7] † Martinogale chisoensis
    Last Modified in 03/31/22
    8302900003
    [8] † Martinogale alveodens
    Last Modified in 03/31/22
    22151500003
    [9] † Buisnictis meadensis
    Last Modified in 02/03/14
    10282700003
    [10] † Buisnictis burrowsi
    Last Modified in 02/03/14
    15222200003
    [11] † Buisnictis transitorius
    Last Modified in 02/03/14
    9302800003
    [12] † Brachyprotoma
    Last Modified in 02/03/14
    7313000003
    [13] Spilogale
    Last Modified in 03/31/22
    0393700003
    [14] Mephitis
    Last Modified in 03/31/22
    0393700003
    [15] † Osmotherium
    Last Modified in 03/31/22
    19181800003
    [16] Conepatus sanmiguelensis
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    3363400003
    [17] Conepatus leuconotus
    Last Modified in 03/31/22
    0393700003
    [18] Conepatus robustus
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    10282700003
    [19] Conepatus semistriatus
    Last Modified in 03/31/22
    0393700003
    [20] Conepatus altiramus
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    23141400003
    [21] Conepatus sam spp
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    0393700003


    Project views

    type number of views Individual items viewed (where applicable)
    Total project views8355
    Project overview413
    Matrix views355Matrix landing page (317 views); Baja Skunk Matrix (38 views);
    Bibliography550
    Media views2202Media search (953 views); M843815 (168 views); M843816 (175 views); M843817 (180 views); M843818 (171 views); M843819 (184 views); M843820 (169 views); M309674 (202 views);
    Views for media list941
    Documents list311
    Specimen list2030
    Taxon list1553




    Project downloads

    type number of downloads Individual items downloaded (where applicable)
    Total downloads from project11
    Project downloads10
    Matrix downloads1Baja Skunk Matrix (1 download);