Reproduction
Reproduction in Skunks is like reproduction in many other mammals including humans. The reproductive organs in the female striped skunk are a vagina, a urogenital sinus, a uterus, paired oviduct, ovaries, and uterine horns, and the reproductive organs in a male striped skunk consist of a penis, a urogenital sinus, a prostate gland, paired vas deferens, epididymides, an os baculum, and scrotal testes. Striped skunks mate throughout February to April, Females can bear 3-10 young and male skunks reach sexual maturity from 4-6 months after birth while females reach sexual maturity nine months to a year after birth. When mating, the male striped skunk "may attempt to breed with several females in succession. Normally, males approach an estrous female from the rear, and smell and lick the vulva area. The male will then grasp the female by the nape of the neck with his teeth prior to mounting and copulating"[1]intercourse, which many could consider an interesting mating behavior. Skunks' gametes are sperms and eggs. Sperm are carried by the male and eggs by the female, and the male deposits the sperm inside the female during sexual intercourse. Each chromosome haploid has 25 chromosomes in the striped skunk.
Sources:
Sources:
- "Wild Mammals of North America: Biology, Management, and Conservation" book page 693
- http://www.esf.edu/aec/adks/mammals/striped_skunk.htm
- http://www.avianandexoticvets.com/gallery/articles/skunk
- "Mammals of Illinois" book page 302
Development
The striped skunk is born about 59-77 days after conception and when born "baby striped skunks are blind, deaf, and extremely immature. They nurse for about a month and a half in the mother's den"[1]. The Striped skunks mating season is from February to April, Females can bear 3-10 young and usually give birth to a new litter every year. The young then leave the mother at 2 and a half months of age and finish growing about 18 months later. Striped skunks can survive for about 10 years in captivity although skunks survive more than 6 years in the wild. Fetal development occurs in a similar stages to humans because both the striped skunk and humans are mammals. The skunk, like humans, has the same four major stages in fetal development, Zygote Stage, Blastocyst Stage, Embryonic Stage, and Fetal Stage. The Zygote Stage is when the sperm penetrates the egg, the Blastocyst Stage is when cells implant themselves in the mother's uterus, the Embryonic stage is when major organ systems and body structures begin to form, and the Fetal Stage is when the fetus has all of the body parts that an adult has.
Sources:
Sources:
- http://www.esf.edu/aec/adks/mammals/striped_skunk.htm
- http://www.skunksaspets.com/skunkstuff.htm
- http://www.livestrong.com/article/92683-embryo-fetus-development-stages/