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Glite Dictionary
Mephitis macroura

Mephitis macroura

9.9
A small black and white skunk with a long white hood found in Mexico and the southern United States
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Mephitis macroura
  • The Mephitis macroura is easily recognized by its long white hood of fur.

Examples

  • Unlike other skunks, the Mephitis macroura often forages in open grasslands.

  • In the wild, the Mephitis macroura primarily feeds on insects.

  • Researchers observed several Mephitis macroura in the arid valleys of northern Mexico.

  • The Mephitis macroura is known for its distinctive hooded appearance.

  • Researchers observed several Mephitis macroura in the arid valleys of northern Mexico.

  • The Mephitis macroura is easily recognized by its long white hood of fur.

  • Unlike other skunks, the Mephitis macroura often forages in open grasslands.

Synonyms

hooded skunk
vsMephitis macroura
  • US
8.8

A skunk with a white band of fur around its neck that lives in Mexico and southern Arizona

is the scientific Latin name used in formal contexts

Surface Forms

Mephitis macroura singular
Mephitis macrouras plural

Morphology

Mephitis + macroura

The genus name Mephitis explicitly identifies the phrase as a skunk species, so a learner who knows that constituent will understand it refers to a type of skunk. However the species epithet 'macroura' is not defined here and is a Latin/Greek form (likely ‘long‑tailed’), so the specific sense ('hooded skunk') or morphological detail is not directly predictable for a B1 learner without etymological knowledge. Scientific binomials therefore signal taxonomic composition but rely on specialized lexical knowledge, making this only partially transparent.

Etymology

Mephitis macroura may come from old words where Mephitis means 'bad smell' and macroura means 'long tail', a clear picture for a skunk with a strong smell and a long white hood of fur. So the name helps you remember the animal's smell and long tail.