Viverridae is a family of small to medium-sized, feliform mammals. The viverrids (/vaɪˈvɛrɪdz/) comprise 33 species placed in 14 genera. This family was named and first described by John Edward Gray in 1821.[3] Viverrids occur all over Africa, southern Europe, and South and Southeast Asia, across the Wallace Line.[4]
The name comes from the Latin word viverra, meaning "ferret", but ferrets are in a different family, the Mustelidae.
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.[3]
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: 3.1.4.23.1.4.2, but the number may be reduced, although never to the same extent as in the Felidae.[4]
Their flesh-shearing carnassial teeth are relatively undeveloped compared to those of other feliform carnivores.[5] Most viverrid species have a penis bone (a baculum).[6]
Classification
Living species
In 1821, Gray defined this family as consisting of the genera Viverra, Genetta, Herpestes, and Suricata.[3] 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.[4]
In 1833, Edward Turner Bennett described the Malagasy fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox) and subordinated the Cryptoprocta to the Viverridae.[7] 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.[8]
The African palm civet (Nandinia binotata) 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.[2]
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.[9]
Phylogeny
The phylogenetic relationships of Viverridae are shown in the following cladogram:[1][10]
Viverridae Paradoxurinae Paradoxurus Golden palm civet P. zeylonensis
Jerdon's palm civet P. jerdoni
Asian palm civet P. hermaphroditus
Macrogalidia Sulawesi palm civet M. musschenbroekii
Paguma Masked palm civet P. larvata
Arctictis Binturong A. binturong
Arctogalidia Small-toothed palm civet A. trivirgata
Hemigalinae Cynogale Otter civet C. bennettii
Chrotogale Owston's palm civet C. owstoni
Diplogale Hose's palm civet D. hosei
Hemigalus Banded palm civet H. derbyanus
Viverrinae Viverrinae Viverra Malabar large-spotted civet V. civettina
Large-spotted civet V. megaspila
Large Indian civet V. zibetha
Malayan civet V. tangalunga
Civettictis African civet C. civetta
Viverricula Small Indian civet V. indica
sensu stricto Genettinae Poiana West African oyan P. leightoni
Central African oyan P. richardsonii
Genetta Abyssinian genet G. abyssinica
Haussa genet G. thierryi
Giant forest genet G. victoriae
Johnston's genet G. johnstoni
Aquatic genet G. piscivora
Servaline genet G. servalina
Crested servaline genet G. cristata
South African small-spotted genet G. felina
Common genet G. genetta
Cape genet G. tigrina
Letaba genet G. letabae
Schouteden’s genet G. schoutedeni
Rusty-spotted genet G. maculata
Angolan genet G. angolensis
Pardine genet G. pardina
Bourlon's genet G. bourloni
King genet G. poensis
sensu lato Extinct species
See also
References
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^ a b c Gaubert, P. & Cordeiro-Estrela, P. (2006). "Phylogenetic systematics and tempo of evolution of the Viverrinae (Mammalia, Carnivora, Viverridae) within feliformians: implications for faunal exchanges between Asia and Africa" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 41 (2): 266–278. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.05.034. PMID 16837215.
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^ a b c Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Family Viverridae". 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. 548–559. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
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^ Wozencraft, W. C. (1984). Macdonald, D. (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. pp. 134–135. ISBN 0-87196-871-1.
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^ Veron, G.; Catzeflis, F. M. (1993). "Phylogenetic relationships of the endemic Malagasy carnivore Cryptoprocta ferox (Aeluroideae): DNA/DNA hybridization experiments". Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 1 (3): 169–185. doi:10.1007/bf01024706. S2CID 21555307.
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^ Gaubert, P.; Veron, G. (2003). "Exhaustive sample set among Viverridae reveals the sister-group of felids: the linsangs as a case of extreme morphological convergence within Feliformia". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 270 (1532): 2523–2530. doi:10.1098/rspb.2003.2521. PMC 1691530. PMID 14667345.
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