TONIGHT THE WILDCARD: Grandidier's "Mongoose" (Galidictis grandidieri) versus the Pygmy Spotted Skunk (Spilogale pygmaea)! #2020MMM 
Galidictis grandidieri was recently better-recognized as a vontsira than a mongoose, but since we <3 our players, we wanted to make it easier to find research on them, hence the air quotes. #2020MMM [gif is man doing air quotes]
Often called the GIANT-striped mongoose, this black & light brown-to-cream striped Feliform typically weighs between 500-590g (an average of 2.5 stoats) #StoatsAsMeasurement #TeamCatsish #2020MMM
Grandidier's "mongoose" lives on the island of Madagascar and is a member of the mammalian Family Eupleridae that includes other Malagasy carnivores like the FOSSA and Malagasy CIVET #TeamCatsish #2020MMM
Sadly, Grandider's "mongoose" is currently listed as endangered by @IUCNRedList due to human-caused habitat loss (agriculture and grazing of livestock) #2020MMM iucnredlist.org/species/8834/4…
The pygmy spotted skunk tips the scales at 200g (90% of a stoat!), is one of the smallest carnivores in the world & is the smallest carnivore in Mexico (Medellin et al., 1998) #LooksForlornlyAtTinyTerrors #StoatsAsMeasurement #2020MMM watermark.silverchair.com/600-1.pdf?toke…
The pygmy spotted skunk, subOrder Caniformia, has the longest #carnassials in the skunk family! (Fig.2 from Medellin et al., 1998) #TeamDogsish #2020MMM
Pygmy spotted skunks are blackish-brown with six creamy-buff stripes & each individual has their own unique markings (photo by B. Molina via @iNaturalist) #2020MMM
"Skunk" is the anglicized word from the North American Native Algonquin dialects of the Great Lakes region (Kruska, 1990) #FirstNations #EntomologyLesson #2020MMM animaldiversity.org/accounts/Spilo…
Since this is the wild-card, neither combatant had automatic claim to #HomeHabitatAdvantage but Grandider's "mongoose" won the coin toss #MixedSportsMetaphors #2020MMM [gif is a coin flip]
Tonight's battle takes place in the dry spiny tropical forest and shrubland of Tsimanampetsotsa Reserve in Madagascar, which includes the saline (AKA, salty!) LakeTsimanampetsotsa (photo by D. Austin)! #2020MMM en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsimanamp… madagascar-photography.com/photos/tsimana…
This global distinctive ecoregion contains many drought-tolerant woody plants (it receives less than 12 inches of rain a year!) and the iconic ancient Baobab trees #2020MMM
We find both combatants trotting about as they nocturnally forage for small invertebrates after sunset #SlimyYetSatisfying #2019MMM #2020MMM
Pygmy spotted skunk is searching for insect larvae & millipedes (Cantú-Salazar et al., 2005), while Grandidier's "mongoose" is hunting cockroaches (Andriatsimietry et al., 2009)! #PoopScience #2020MMM s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.d… s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.d…
All of a sudden, the pygmy skunk is startled by loud angry hissing!!! #2020MMM
Nearby, Grandidier's "mongoose" has cornered a giant Hissing Madagascan Cockroach! #2020MMM
With her massive skull & strong crushing teeth, Grandidier's "mongoose" chomps down on the cockroach's head... #CARNASSIALS #CARNAGE #2020MMM
...AND GETS BLASTED BY STARTLED SKUNK SPRAY!!! (Cantú-Salazar et al. 2004) #2020MMM s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.d…
Eyes burning from the chemical defense of the skunk, Grandidier's "Mongoose" darts away, jaws clasping her delicious dinner, quitting the field of battle! #2020MMM
PYGMY SPOTTED SKUNK DEFEATS GRANDIDIER'S "MONGOOSE"!!!!! #2020MMM
Here is an updated link to the academic paper, in case that last one did not work for folks researchgate.net/profile/Mircea… #2020MM #openaccess
