Viverridae

Viverridae Temporal range: 50–0 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N Eocene to Recent
Viverrids, including (top left to bottom right), species of Paradoxurus, Genetta, Paguma and Arctictis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Feliformia
Family:	Viverridae Gray, 1821
Subfamilies
Paradoxurinae Hemigalinae Prionodontinae Viverrinae

The family Viverridae is made up of around 30 species of medium-sized mammals, the viverrids, including all of the genets, the binturong, most of the civets, and the two African linsangs.

Viverrids are native to most of the Old World tropics, nearly all of Africa (bar the area immediately south of the Mediterranean), and the Iberian Peninsula. Favoured habitats include woodland, savanna, mountains and, above all, tropical rainforest. Due to heavy deforestation, many are faced with severe loss of habitat; several species are considered vulnerable (such as the rare Hose's Civet, endemic to northern Borneo), and the Otter Civet is classified as endangered.

Characteristics

Viverrids are amongst the primitive families of the Carnivora, with skeletons very similar to those of fossils dating back to the Eocene, up to 50 million years ago. They are variable in form, but generally resemble long-nosed cats. Most have retractile or partially-retractile claws, a baculum, and an anal scent gland.

Viverrids range in size from the African Linsang with a body length of 33 cm (13 in), and a weight of 650 g (1.4 lb), to the African Civet at 84 cm (33 in) and 18 kg (40 lb), although very large Binturongs, to 25 kg (55 lb), 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 teeth are relatively undeveloped. The usual dental formula is:$Upper: 3.1.4.2, lower: 3.1.4.2$

Classification

Although it resembles the civets of the family Viverridae, the African Palm Civet (Nandinia binotata) is genetically distinct and belongs in its own monotypic family, Nandiniidae. The Madagascan Fossa 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, an endemic Madagascan carnivore radiation related to the family Herpestidae. Furthermore, the Asiatic linsangs of the genus Prionodon, are more closely related to the cats, the family Felidae; they were therefore removed from Viverridae and placed in their own family, Prionodontidae. There is little dispute, however, that the African linsangs of genus Poiana are viverrids.

Species

Asian Palm Civet

The Spotted Genet

African Civet

• Family VIVERRIDAE
  • Subfamily Paradoxurinae
    • Genus Arctictis
      • Binturong (Arctictis binturong)
    • Genus Arctogalidia
      • Small-toothed Palm Civet (Arctogalidia trivirgata)
    • Genus Macrogalidia
      • Sulawesi Palm Civet (Macrogalidia musschenbroekii)
    • Genus Paguma
      • Masked Palm Civet (Paguma larvata)
    • Genus Paradoxurus
      • Golden Wet-zone Palm Civet (Paradoxurus aureus) (F. Cuvier, 1822)
      • Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus)
      • Jerdon's Palm Civet (Paradoxurus jerdoni)
      • Sri Lankan Brown Palm Civet (Paradoxurus montanus) (Kelaart, 1852)
      • Golden Dry-zone Palm Civet (Paradoxurus stenocephalus) (sp. nov.)
      • Golden Palm Civet (Paradoxurus zeylonensis)
  • Subfamily Hemigalinae
    • Genus Chrotogale
      • Owston's Palm Civet (Chrotogale owstoni)
    • Genus Cynogale
      • Otter Civet (Cynogale bennettii)
    • Genus Diplogale
      • Hose's Palm Civet (Diplogale hosei)
    • Genus Hemigalus
      • Banded Palm Civet (Hemigalus derbyanus)
  • Subfamily Viverrinae
    • Genus Civettictis
      • African Civet (Civettictis civetta)
    • Genus Genetta
      • Abyssinian Genet (Genetta abyssinica)
      • Angolan Genet (Genetta angolensis)
      • Bourlon's Genet (Genetta bourloni)
      • Crested Servaline Genet (Genetta cristata)
      • Common Genet (Genetta genetta)
      • Johnston's Genet (Genetta johnstoni)
      • Rusty-spotted Genet (Genetta maculata)
      • Pardine Genet (Genetta pardina)
      • Aquatic Genet (Genetta piscivora)
      • King Genet (Genetta poensis)
      • Servaline Genet (Genetta servalina)
      • Haussa Genet (Genetta thierryi)
      • Cape Genet (Genetta tigrina)
      • Giant Forest Genet (Genetta victoriae)
    • Genus Poiana
      • Leighton's Linsang (Poiana leightoni)
      • African Linsang (Poiana richardsonii)
    • Genus Viverra
      • Malabar Large-spotted Civet (Viverra civettina)
      • Large-spotted Civet (Viverra megaspila)
      • Malayan Civet (Viverra tangalunga)
      • Large Indian Civet (Viverra zibetha)
    • Genus Viverricula
      • Small Indian Civet (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.

External links

• "Genet: Wildlife summary". African Wildlife Foundation. http://www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/genet. 
• BBC: 'New mammal' seen in Borneo
• University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web page
• ITIS page
• The Straight Dope on Civet Cats