Viverridae


Viverridae is a family of small to medium-sized mammals, the viverrids, comprising 15 genera, which are subdivided into 38 species. This family was named and first described by John Edward Gray in 1821. Viverrids occur all over Africa, into southern Europe, in South and Southeast Asia across the Wallace Line. Their occurrence in Sulawesi and in some of the adjoining islands shows them to be ancient inhabitants of the Old World tropics.

Characteristics

Viverrids have four or five toes on each foot and half-retractile claws. They have six incisors in each jaw and molars with two tubercular grinders behind in the upper jaw, and one in the lower jaw. The tongue is rough with sharp prickles. A pouch or gland occurs beneath the anus, but there is no cecum.
Viverrids are the most primitive of all the families of feliform Carnivora and clearly less specialized than the Felidae. In external characteristics, they are distinguished from the Felidae by the longer muzzle and tuft of facial vibrissae between the lower jaw bones, and by the shorter limbs and the five-toed hind foot with the first digit present. The skull differs by the position of the postpalatine foramina on the maxilla, almost always well in advance of the maxillopalatine suture, and usually about the level of the second premolar; and by the distinct external division of the auditory bulla into its two elements either by a definite groove or, when rarely this is obliterated, by the depression of the tympanic bone in front of the swollen entotympanic. The typical dental formula is:, but the number may be reduced, although never to the same extent as in the Felidae.
Their flesh-shearing carnassial teeth are relatively undeveloped compared to those of other feliform carnivores. Most viverrid species have a penis bone.

Classification

Living species

In 1821, Gray defined this family as consisting of the genera Viverra, Genetta, Herpestes, and Suricata. Reginald Innes Pocock later redefined the family as containing a great number of highly diversified genera, and being susceptible of division into several subfamilies, based mainly on the structure of the feet and of some highly specialized scent glands, derived from the skin, which are present in most of the species and are situated in the region of the external generative organs. He subordinated the subfamilies Hemigalinae, Paradoxurinae, Prionodontinae, and Viverrinae to the Viverridae.
In 1833, Edward Turner Bennett described the Malagasy fossa and subordinated the Cryptoprocta to the Viverridae. A molecular and morphological analysis based on DNA/DNA hybridization experiments suggests that Cryptoprocta does not belong within Viverridae, but is a member of the Eupleridae.
The African palm civet resembles the civets of the Viverridae, but is genetically distinct and belongs in its own monotypic family, the Nandiniidae. There is little dispute that the Poiana species are viverrids.
DNA analysis based on 29 Carnivora species, comprising 13 Viverrinae species and three species representing Paradoxurus, Paguma and Hemigalinae, confirmed Pocock's assumption that the African linsang Poiana represents the sister group of the genus Genetta. The placement of Prionodon as the sister group of the family Felidae is strongly supported, and it was proposed that the Asiatic linsangs be placed in the monogeneric family Prionodontidae.
SubfamilyGenusSpeciesImage of type species
ViverrinaeViverra Linnaeus, 1758
ViverrinaeViverricula Hodgson, 1838Small Indian civet
ViverrinaeCivettictis Pocock, 1915African civet
Hemigalinae Gray, 1864---
Hemigalinae Gray, 1864Hemigalus Jourdan, 1837Banded palm civet Jourdan, 1837
Hemigalinae Gray, 1864Cynogale Gray, 1836Otter civet Gray, 1836
Hemigalinae Gray, 1864Diplogale Thomas, 1912Hose's palm civet
Hemigalinae Gray, 1864Macrogalidia Schwarz, 1910Sulawesi palm civet
Chrotogale Thomas, 1912Owston's palm civet Thomas, 1912-
Paradoxurinae Gray, 1864Paradoxurus Cuvier, 1822
  • Asian palm civet
  • Golden palm civet
  • Brown palm civet Blanford, 1885
    • Paradoxurinae Gray, 1864Arctictis Temminck, 1824Binturong
    Paradoxurinae Gray, 1864Paguma Gray, 1831Masked palm civet
    Paradoxurinae Gray, 1864Arctogalidia Merriam, 1897Small-toothed palm civet
    GenettinaeGenetta Cuvier, 1816
  • Common genet
  • Cape genet
  • South African small-spotted genet
  • Rusty-spotted genet
  • Pardine genet Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1832
  • Abyssinian genet
  • King genet Waterhouse, 1838
  • Servaline genet Pucheran, 1855
  • Angolan genet Bocage, 1882
  • Giant forest genet Thomas, 1901
  • Haussa genet Matschie, 1902
  • G. letabae Thomas and Schwann, 1906
  • Johnston's genet
  • Aquatic genet
  • Crested servaline genet Hayman, 1940
  • Schouteden’s genet Crawford-Cabral, 1970
  • Bourlon's genet Gaubert, 2003
    • GenettinaePoiana Gray, 1864
  • Central African oyan
  • West African oyan

    • Phylogeny

    The phylogenetic relationships of Viverridae are shown in the following cladogram:

    Extinct species

    Ecology and behavior

    They are generally solitary and have excellent hearing and vision. They are omnivorous; the palm civet is almost entirely herbivorous.
    Favored habitats include woodland, savanna, mountains, and above all tropical rainforest. Due to heavy deforestation, many face severe habitat loss. Several species, such as the Hose's palm civet, which is endemic to northern Borneo, are considered vulnerable. The otter civet is classified as endangered.