Mephitis mephitis (Schreber, 1776) . Die Säugethiere, 3(17):pl. 121 [1776], text, 3(26):444, 588 (index) [1777].

TYPE LOCALITY: "Amerika" .

DISTRIBUTION: SW Northwest Territories to Hudson Bay and S Quebec (Canada), south to Florida (USA), N Tamaulipas, N Durango, and N Baja California (Mexico).

SYNONYMS: americana Desmarest, 1818; avia Bangs, 1898; bivirgata H[amilton]-Smith, 1842; dentata Brass, 1911; elongata Bangs, 1895; estor Merriam, 1890; fetidissima Boitard, 1842; foetulenta Elliot, 1899; frontata Coues, 1875; holzneri Mearns, 1897; hudsonica Richardson, 1829; major Howell, 1901; mesomelas Lichtenstein, 1832; minnesotoe Brass, 1911; newtonensis Brown, 1908; nigra Peale and Palisot de Beauvois, 1796; notata Howell, 1901; occidentalis Baird, 1858; olida Boitard, 1842; platyrhina Howell, 1901; putida Boitard, 1842; scrutator Bangs, 1896; spissigrada Bangs, 1898; varions Gray, 1837.

COMMENTS: Reviewed by Wade-Smith and Verts (1982, Mammalian Species, 173).