Mongoose

This article is about the mongoose family Herpestidae. For Malagasy mongooses, see Galidiinae. For other uses, see Mongoose (disambiguation).

Mongoose
Temporal range: Early Miocene to present, 21.8–0 Ma
Top left: Meerkat
Top right: Yellow mongoose
Bottom left: Slender mongoose
Bottom right: Indian gray mongoose
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Feliformia
Superfamily: Herpestoidea
Family: Herpestidae
Bonaparte, 1845
Type genus
Herpestes
Genera[1]
List
Synonyms[1]
List
  • Rhinogalidae, Gray, 1869
  • Suricatinae, Thomas, 1882
  • Cynictidae, Cope, 1882
  • Suricatidae, Cope, 1882
  • Herpestoidei, Winge, 1895
  • Mongotidae, Pocock, 1920

A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Herpestidae. This family has two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Mungotinae. The Herpestinae comprises 23 living species that are native to southern Europe, Africa and Asia, whereas the Mungotinae comprises 11 species native to Africa.[2] The Herpestidae originated about 21.8 ± 3.6 million years ago in the Early Miocene and genetically diverged into two main genetic lineages between 19.1 and 18.5 ± 3.5 million years ago.[3]

  1. ^ a b Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Family Herpestidae". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 562–571. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ Gilchrist, J.S.; Jennings, A.P.; Veron, G. & Cavallini, P. (2009). "Family Herpestidae (Mongooses)". In Wilson, D. E. & Mittermeier, R. A. (eds.). Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Vol. 1. Carnivores. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. pp. 262–328. ISBN 978-84-96553-49-1.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Patou2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).