The hooded skunk (Mephitis macroura) is a species of mammal in the family Mephitidae. Mephit in Latin means "foul odor" and macr in Greek translates to "large" and oura translates to "tail".

It can be distinguished from the similar striped skunk (M. mephitis) by its longer tail and longer, much softer coat of fur, and a larger tympanic bullae . A ruff of white fur around its neck gives the animal its common name. There are three known color phases and in all three there will be a thin white medial stripe present between the eyes: 1) black-backed with two lateral white stripes. 2) white-backed with one dorsal white stripe. 3) entirely black with a few white hairs in the tail .

The hooded skunk ranges from the Southwestern United States to Southern Mexico, but is most abundant in Mexico. These skunks are found to be 50% or less smaller in size from Southern Mexico than in Southwestern United States . It is found in grasslands, desert, and in the foothills of mountains, avoiding high elevations. It tends to live near a water source, such as a river. The females tend to be 15% smaller in size than the males and their breeding season is between February and March . The litter size ranges from 3 to 8 .