- Mydaus
Taxobox | name = Stink Badgers
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image_caption = "M. javanensis"
regnum =Animal ia
phylum =Chordata
classis =Mammalia
ordo =Carnivora
familia =Mephitidae
genus = "Mydaus ""Mydaus" is a
genus ofOld World carnivore comprising of two species of stink badger. There are two species - thePalawan Stink Badger ("M. marchei"), and theJavan Stink Badger or Teledu ("M. javanensis"). Stink badgers are named for the foul-smelling secretions that they expel from anal glands in self-defense (which is stronger in the Javan species). [http://www.badgers.org.uk/badgerpages/stink-badgers.html Stink badgers at the Badger Pages] ]Stink badgers were traditionally thought to be related to true badgers in the
family Mustelidae (subfamily Melinae ), but recent DNA analysis strongly suggests they are Old World counterparts to the New World skunks, and as such should be placed in the familyMephitidae . [cite journal |author=Koepfli KP, Deere KA, Slater GJ, "et al" |title=Multigene phylogeny of the Mustelidae: resolving relationships, tempo and biogeographic history of a mammalian adaptive radiation |journal=BMC Biol. |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=4–5 |year=2008 |pmid=18275614 |doi=10.1186/1741-7007-6-10]The Palawan Stink Badger is sometimes classified in its own genus, "Suillotaxus".
References
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