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The family
Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is a taxonomic rank. Exact details of formal nomenclature depend on the Nomenclature Codes which applies....
 Viverridae is made up of 35 species, including all of the genets
Genet (animal)

Genets are Old World carnivores of the family Viverridae, related to civets and linsangs. All species are contained within the genus Genetta, although the Aquatic Genet, is sometimes housed in its own genus Osbornictis....
, the Binturong
Binturong

The Binturong , also known as the Asian Bearcat, the Palawan Bearcat, or simply the Bearcat, is a species of the family Viverridae, which includes the civets and genet s....
, most of the civet
Civet

The family Viverridae is made up of 35 species, including all of the genet , the Binturong, most of the civets, and the four linsangs.Viverrids are native to most of the Old World tropics, nearly all of Africa , Madagascar, and the Iberian Peninsula....
s, and the four linsang
Linsang

The Asiatic linsangs are two species classified in the mammalian subfamily Prionodontinae, in the family Viverridae. There is one Southeast Asian genus, Prionodon....
s.

Viverrids are native to most of the Old World tropics, nearly all of Africa
Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km? including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area....
 (bar the area immediately south of the Mediterranean), Madagascar
Madagascar

Madagascar, or Republic of Madagascar , is an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. The main island, also called Madagascar, is the List of islands by area, and is home to 5% of the world's plant and animal species, of which more than 80% are Endemism to Madagascar....
, and the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula

The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes modern-day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar and a very small area of France....
. Favoured habitats include woodland, savanna, mountains and, above all, tropical rainforest
Tropical rainforest

Tropical rainforests are usually found around the equator. They are common in Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Central America, Southern Mexico and on many of the Pacific Islands....
. In consequence, many are faced with severe loss of habitat; several species are considered vulnerable and the Otter Civet
Otter Civet

The Otter Civet, Cynogale bennettii, is a semi-aquatic civet found in forests, primarily lowland, near rivers and swampy areas of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo....
 is classified as endangered.

rrids are amongst the primitive families of the Carnivora
Carnivora

The diverse Order Carnivora includes over 260 species of eutheria mammals. Its members are formally referred to as carnivorans, while the word "carnivore" can refer to any meat-eating animal....
, with skeletons very similar to those of fossils dating back to the Eocene
Eocene

The Eocene Geologic time scale is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Palaeogene period in the Cenozoic era....
, up to 50 million years ago.






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The family
Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is a taxonomic rank. Exact details of formal nomenclature depend on the Nomenclature Codes which applies....
 Viverridae is made up of 35 species, including all of the genets
Genet (animal)

Genets are Old World carnivores of the family Viverridae, related to civets and linsangs. All species are contained within the genus Genetta, although the Aquatic Genet, is sometimes housed in its own genus Osbornictis....
, the Binturong
Binturong

The Binturong , also known as the Asian Bearcat, the Palawan Bearcat, or simply the Bearcat, is a species of the family Viverridae, which includes the civets and genet s....
, most of the civet
Civet

The family Viverridae is made up of 35 species, including all of the genet , the Binturong, most of the civets, and the four linsangs.Viverrids are native to most of the Old World tropics, nearly all of Africa , Madagascar, and the Iberian Peninsula....
s, and the four linsang
Linsang

The Asiatic linsangs are two species classified in the mammalian subfamily Prionodontinae, in the family Viverridae. There is one Southeast Asian genus, Prionodon....
s.

Viverrids are native to most of the Old World tropics, nearly all of Africa
Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km? including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area....
 (bar the area immediately south of the Mediterranean), Madagascar
Madagascar

Madagascar, or Republic of Madagascar , is an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. The main island, also called Madagascar, is the List of islands by area, and is home to 5% of the world's plant and animal species, of which more than 80% are Endemism to Madagascar....
, and the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula

The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes modern-day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar and a very small area of France....
. Favoured habitats include woodland, savanna, mountains and, above all, tropical rainforest
Tropical rainforest

Tropical rainforests are usually found around the equator. They are common in Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Central America, Southern Mexico and on many of the Pacific Islands....
. In consequence, many are faced with severe loss of habitat; several species are considered vulnerable and the Otter Civet
Otter Civet

The Otter Civet, Cynogale bennettii, is a semi-aquatic civet found in forests, primarily lowland, near rivers and swampy areas of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo....
 is classified as endangered.

Characteristics

Viverrids are amongst the primitive families of the Carnivora
Carnivora

The diverse Order Carnivora includes over 260 species of eutheria mammals. Its members are formally referred to as carnivorans, while the word "carnivore" can refer to any meat-eating animal....
, with skeletons very similar to those of fossils dating back to the Eocene
Eocene

The Eocene Geologic time scale is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Palaeogene period in the Cenozoic era....
, up to 50 million years ago. They are variable in form, but generally resemble long-nosed cats. Most have retractile or partially-retractile claw
Claw

A claw is a curved, pointed appendage, found at the end of a toe or finger in most mammals, birds, and some reptiles. Somewhat similar fine hooked structures are found in arthropods such as beetles and spiders, at the end of the leg or Arthropod leg for gripping a surface as the creature walks....
s, a baculum
Baculum

The baculum is a bone found in the penis of most mammals. It is absent in humans, equidae, marsupials, lagomorphs, and hyenas, and cetaceans among others....
, and an anal scent gland
Scent gland

Scent glands are found in the genitals of most mammals and in various other parts of the body, such as the underarms of humans and the preorbital glands of deer....
.

Viverrids range in size from the African Linsang
African Linsang

The African Linsang is a species of linsang in the family Viverridae. It is endemic to Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo....
 with a body length of , and a weight of , to the African Civet
African Civet

The African Civet is a common civet native to tropical Africa. Unlike many other members of the family , which resemble cats, the African Civet resembles a short dog-like animal....
 at and , although very large Binturong
Binturong

The Binturong , also known as the Asian Bearcat, the Palawan Bearcat, or simply the Bearcat, is a species of the family Viverridae, which includes the civets and genet s....
s, to , attain the greatest mass.

They are nocturnal animals, with excellent hearing and vision. They are generally solitary. Despite their placement in the order Carnivora, they are omnivorous, or, in the case of the Palm Civets, almost entirely herbivorous. In reflection of this, their flesh-shearing carnassial
Carnassial

Carnassials are large teeth found in many carnivorous mammals, used for shearing flesh and bone in a scissor or shear-like way. In the Carnivora, the carnassials are the modified last upper premolar and the first lower molar , but in the prehistoric creodonts, the carnassials were further back in the jaw — first upper and second lower o...
 teeth are relatively undeveloped . The usual dental formula
Dentition

Dentition is the tooth development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth.All mammals except the monotremes, the xenarthrans, the pangolins, and the cetaceans have up to four distinct types of teeth, with a maximum number for each....
 is:

Classification

Although it resembles the other civets, the African Palm Civet
African Palm Civet

The African Palm Civet , also known as the Two-spotted Palm Civet, is a small mammal, with short legs, small ears, a body resembling a cat, and a long lithe tail as long as its body....
 (Nandinia binotata) is genetically distinct and belongs in its own monotypic family, Nandiniidae. The Madagascan Fossa
Fossa (animal)

The fossa is a mammal endemic to Madagascar. A member of family Eupleridae, it is closely related to the mongoose. It is the largest mammalian carnivore on the island of Madagascar....
 Cryptoprocta ferox was similarly long thought to be a member of Viverridae, but genetic evidence indicates that this animal is a member of the family Eupleridae
Eupleridae

The family Eupleridae is a group of carnivorans endemic to Madagascar and comprising 8 known species in 7 genus. Probably the best known species is the Fossa , in the sub-family Euplerinae....
, an endemic Madagascan carnivore radiation related to the family Herpestidae. Furthermore, recent genetic research indicates that the Asiatic linsangs of the genus Prionodon, may be more closely related to the species of the family Felidae
Felidae

Felidae is the family of the cats; a member of this family is called a felid. Felids are the most strictly Carnivore of the sixteen mammal families in the order Carnivora....
; if so, then they should be removed from Viverridae and placed in their own family, Prionodontidae. There is little dispute, however, that the African linsang
African Linsang

The African Linsang is a species of linsang in the family Viverridae. It is endemic to Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo....
s of genus Poiana are viverrids.

Species

Palmenroller Drawing
Genette Drawing
Africancivet
* Family VIVERRIDAE
    • Subfamily Paradoxurinae
      Paradoxurinae

      Paradoxurinae is a family of viverrids....
      • Genus Arctictis
        • Binturong
          Binturong

          The Binturong , also known as the Asian Bearcat, the Palawan Bearcat, or simply the Bearcat, is a species of the family Viverridae, which includes the civets and genet s....
           (Arctictis binturong)
      • Genus Arctogalidia
        • Small-toothed Palm Civet
          Small-toothed Palm Civet

          The Small-toothed Palm Civet , also known as the Three-striped Palm Civet, is a civet. It lives in dense forests of southeast Asia, from the Assam district of India to Indochina and the Malay Peninsula and on Sumatra, Bangka, Java, Borneo, and numerous small nearby islands of Indonesia....
           (Arctogalidia trivirgata)
      • Genus Macrogalidia
        • Sulawesi Palm Civet (Macrogalidia musschenbroekii)
      • Genus Paguma
        • Masked Palm Civet
          Masked Palm Civet

          The Masked Palm Civet or Himalayan Palm Civet is a species of civet spread across South Asia and Southeast Asia, which in recent times was considered to be a likely vector of SARS....
           (Paguma larvata)
      • Genus Paradoxurus
        Paradoxurus

        Paradoxurus is a genus of viverrids in one of the civet subfamilies, Paradoxurinae. There are at least six species, one of which is common over tropical Asia, while the other two are less common and limited in locality:...
        • Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus)
        • Jerdon's Palm Civet
          Jerdon's Palm Civet

          Jerdon's Palm Civet , also called the Brown Palm Civet, is a civet endemism to Western Ghats, India.It is distributed in the Palni, Nilgiri and Anamalai hills, Travancore and Coorg particularly at an altitude ranging between 500 and 1300 m....
           (Paradoxurus jerdoni)
        • Golden Palm Civet
          Golden Palm Civet

          The Golden Palm Civet is a civet endemism to Sri Lanka. It is a smallish civet and has a coat that is a golden brown color. The hair on the back of its neck grows reverse grain, from the shoulders toward the head....
           (Paradoxurus zeylonensis)
    • Subfamily Hemigalinae
      Hemigalinae

      Hemigalinae is a subfamily of Viverridae.* Subfamily Hemigalinae** Genus Chrotogale*** Owston's Palm Civet ** Genus Cynogale*** Otter Civet ...
      • Genus Chrotogale
        • Owston's Palm Civet
          Owston's Palm Civet

          Owston's Palm Civet is a civet that lives in the forests and wooded lowland river basins of northern Vietnam, northern Laos, and southern China....
           (Chrotogale owstoni)
      • Genus Cynogale
        • Otter Civet
          Otter Civet

          The Otter Civet, Cynogale bennettii, is a semi-aquatic civet found in forests, primarily lowland, near rivers and swampy areas of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo....
           (Cynogale bennettii)
      • Genus Diplogale
        • Hose's Palm Civet
          Hose's Palm Civet

          The Hose's Palm Civet , is a member of the Viverridae family. It was named for zoologist Charles Hose. It is known only from the forests of Borneo in East Malaysia and Brunei....
           (Diplogale hosei)
      • Genus Hemigalus
        • Banded Palm Civet
          Banded Palm Civet

          The Banded Palm Civet is a civet found in the tall forests of Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Though it lives in the forests, it spends much of its time on the ground....
           (Hemigalus derbyanus)
    • Subfamily Prionodontinae
      • Genus Prionodon
        • Banded Linsang
          Banded Linsang

          The Banded Linsang is a linsang of Western Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Thailand, and Indonesia....
           (Prionodon linsang)
        • Spotted Linsang
          Spotted Linsang

          The Spotted Linsang is a linsang found in the forests of the central and eastern Himalaya. It is short, light coloured, and has a slender body with a pointed head and small limbs....
           (Prionodon pardicolor)
    • Subfamily Viverrinae
      Viverrinae

      Viverrinae is a subfamily of family Viverridae....
      • Genus Civettictis
        • African Civet
          African Civet

          The African Civet is a common civet native to tropical Africa. Unlike many other members of the family , which resemble cats, the African Civet resembles a short dog-like animal....
           (Civettictis civetta)
      • Genus Genetta
        • Abyssinian Genet
          Abyssinian Genet

          The Abyssinian Genet is a carnivore mammal, related to civets and linsangs. It is one of 14 species of genet in the genus Genetta, which are found through Africa, Europe and parts of the Middle East....
           (Genetta abyssinica)
        • Angolan Genet
          Angolan Genet

          The Angolan Genet , is a carnivore mammal related to civets and linsangs. It is one of eleven species of genet s. It is endemic to Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe....
           (Genetta angolensis)
        • Bourlon's Genet
          Bourlon's Genet

          The Bourlon's Genet is a new species of carnivore mammal found in the north-west coast of Africa. The populations are scattered and fragmented in their range....
           (Genetta bourloni)
        • Crested Servaline Genet (Genetta cristata)
        • Common Genet
          Common Genet

          The Common Genet , also known as the Small-spotted Genet or European Genet, is a Carnivore mammal, related to civets and linsangs. The most far-ranging of all the eleven species of genet , it can be found throughout Africa, parts of the Middle East, and in Europe in Spain, Portugal, the Balearic Islands, and parts of France....
           (Genetta genetta)
        • Johnston's Genet
          Johnston's Genet

          Johnston's Genet is a species of Carnivora mammal, related to civets and linsangs in the family Viverridae. Its range includes the African countries of C?te d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea and Liberia....
           (Genetta johnstoni)
        • Rusty-spotted Genet (Genetta maculata)
        • Pardine Genet (Genetta pardina)
        • Aquatic Genet
          Aquatic Genet

          The Aquatic Genet is a carnivore mammal from the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Aquatic Genet is related to civets and linsangs....
           (Genetta piscivora)
        • King Genet (Genetta poensis)
        • Servaline Genet
          Servaline Genet

          The Servaline Genet is a species of carnivore of the family Viverridae, related to civets and linsangs. Like all genet s, it is outwardly felidae, although not a close relative of the felidae....
           (Genetta servalina)
        • Haussa Genet
          Haussa Genet

          The Haussa Genet , also known as Thierry's Genet, is a Carnivora mammal, related to linsangs and civets. It lives in the savannah zone of Africa from Senegal to area south of Lake Chad....
           (Genetta thierryi)
        • Cape Genet
          Cape Genet

          The Cape Genet , also known as the Blotched Genet or the Large-spotted Genet, is a Carnivora mammal, related to the African Linsang and to the civets....
           (Genetta tigrina)
        • Giant Forest Genet (Genetta victoriae)
      • Genus Poiana
        • Leighton's Linsang
          Leighton's Linsang

          Leighton's Linsang was formerly classified as Poiana richardsonii liberiensis and considered a subspecies of the African Linsang....
           (Poiana leightoni)
        • African Linsang
          African Linsang

          The African Linsang is a species of linsang in the family Viverridae. It is endemic to Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo....
           (Poiana richardsonii)
      • Genus Viverra
        Viverra

        Viverra, is a genus of civet commonly found in Southeast Asia....
        • Malabar Large-spotted Civet (Viverra civettina)
        • Large-spotted Civet
          Large-spotted Civet

          The Large-spotted Civet is a species of civet.References...
           (Viverra megaspila)
        • Malayan Civet (Viverra tangalunga)
        • Large Indian Civet
          Large Indian Civet

          The Large Indian Civet is generally a grizzled greyish brown, with white and black bars along their neck , stripes on the tail, and a white muzzle....
           (Viverra zibetha)
      • Genus Viverricula
        • Small Indian Civet
          Small Indian Civet

          The Small Indian Civet , also called the Rasse, is a species of civet found across south and south-east Asia as well as in the Indonesian archipelago....
           (Viverricula indica)


Civet/Genet Hybrids

In "The Variation Of Animals And Plants Under Domestication" Charles Darwin noted: The Genetta has bred both here and in the Jardin des Plantes, and produced hybrids. Others have also reported civet/genet hybrids.

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