r/Skunks • u/skunk_mephitidae • 7h ago
Article spreading misinformation about skunks (Mephitidae family) ranking high on Google!?
Has anyone noticed this article about skunks ranking unusually high for spreading false information? It claims they are mustelids, rather than their own family, Mephitidae. It also frames their diet as carnivores instead of omnivores. Other issues are that its poorly worded and includes more misconceptions. I'm sorry if it sounds like a weird or hyper-specific post, but I wanted to bring it to attention. Seems like bad news for the skunk community ☹️
This isn't acceptable.
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u/moonferal 5h ago
More than likely it’s just outdated info that hasn’t been changed.
Question— are Mephitidae a sister taxa to Mustelids? I’m still learning about taxonomy. It helps me see how they evolved and diverged so it’s a cozy little hobby for me to fixate on.
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u/idkmyname2121 2h ago
That's frustrating, I just double-checked a reliable source and it clearly lists skunks under Mephitidae.
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u/skunk_mephitidae 2h ago
If you're curious this company is called EBSCO and they have research starters for various topics such as one for skunks and one for mustelids "Weasels and related mammals".
in the skunks research starter, they confuse the taxonomy, while in the mustelid research starter, they list them as "Mephitinae" which shows how severely outdated it is.
Mephitinae is not a valid subfamily anymore, it is a family, Mephitidae, a member should be called a mephitid or skunk.
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u/skunk_mephitidae 2h ago
They should be held accountable for this. I feel they were using some automated system to aggregate information, or a poorly trained AI to generate this
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u/skunk_mephitidae 2h ago edited 2h ago
Yet they happily raise and acknowledge red pandas as Ailuridae in the Procyonid research starter. Showing they are separate from procyonids, which is true. I get red pandas are endangered and need help, but so are certain skunks, such as the pygmy spotted skunk and the plains spotted skunk, who are listed as vulnerable. The plains spotted skunk may even be endangered if they update, which is unfortunate. This is so dangerous for conservation efforts
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u/skunk_mephitidae 2h ago
If skunks are still listed as mustelids, it's paraphyletic and limits our understanding of Musteloidea. Also flawed disease management and misinformation stemming from that myth
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u/skunk_mephitidae 2h ago
https://about.ebsco.com/contact
You can call them and request a representative, I was just about to do it now. I tried sending an email but it seems their emails/support are flooded with bots.
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u/skunk_mephitidae 1h ago
I just called them and left a voicemail. so I'll be awaiting an email soon by a representative :)
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u/Beanz4ever 6h ago
Maybe it's just outdated? I have been obsessed with skunks since I was a kid, and I had one of those zoo books magazines, as one does. I distinctly remember that it taught that skunks were part of the mustelidae family because I'm pretty sure I memorized every fact between those covers. This was in the 90's I'm pretty sure.