PBDB Taxon

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Morphology	Ecology and taphonomy	External Literature Search	Age range and collections

Herpestidae (mongoose)

Mammalia - Carnivora - Herpestidae

Taxonomy

Herpestinae was named by Bonaparte (1845). Its type is Herpestes.

It was reranked as the family Herpestidae by Jaekel (1911), Hunt (1989), Nowak (1991), Baker (1992), Hunt (1998), Morlo et al. (2007) and Hassanin et al. (2021).

It was assigned to Felidi by Jaekel (1911); to Viverridae by Mivart (1882), Savage (1965), Taylor (1972) and Hendey (1974); to Carnivora by Nowak (1991); to Aeluroidea by Hunt (1989) and Hunt (1998); to Feliformia by Baker (1992) and Morlo et al. (2007); and to Viverroidea by Hassanin et al. (2021).

Subtaxa

Bdeogale, Crossarchus, Cynictis, Dologale, Galerella, Helogale, Herpestes (syn. Onychogale, Calogale, Calictis, Urva, Taeniogale), Herpestinae, Ichneumia (syn. Herpestes), Legetetia, Liberiictis, Mungos (syn. Ariela), Paracynictis, Rhynchogale (syn. Rhinogale), Suricata (syn. Ryzaena), Ugandictis, Xenogale

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1845	Herpestinae Bonaparte
1882	Herpestinae Mivart p. 142
1911	Herpestidae Jaekel p. 228
1965	Herpestinae Savage p. 296
1972	Herpestinae Taylor p. 1
1974	Herpestinae Hendey p. 83
1989	Herpestidae Hunt, Jr. p. 28
1991	Herpestidae Nowak
1992	Herpestidae Baker p. 1
1998	Herpestidae Hunt, Jr. p. 62
2007	Herpestidae Morlo et al. p. 151
2021	Herpestidae Hassanin et al.

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Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Bilateria
—	Eubilateria	Ax 1987
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1874
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
—	Osteichthyes	()
subclass	Sarcopterygii	()
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda
—	Reptiliomorpha
—	Anthracosauria
subclass	Amphibiosauria	Kuhn 1967
—	Cotylosauria	()
—	Amniota
subclass	Synapsida
—	Therapsida	()
infraorder	Cynodontia	()
—	Mammaliamorpha
—	Mammaliaformes

Rank	Name	Author
class	Mammalia
—	Theriamorpha	(Rowe 1993)
—	Theriiformes	()
—	Trechnotheria
—	Cladotheria
—	Zatheria
subclass	Tribosphenida	()
subclass	Theria
—	Eutheria	()
—	Placentalia
—	Boreoeutheria
—	Laurasiatheria
—	Scrotifera
—	Ferae	()
—	Carnivoramorpha	Wyss and Flynn 1993
—	Carnivoraformes	Flynn et al.
order	Carnivora
suborder	Feliformia	Kretzoi 1945
—	Aeluroidea	Flower 1869
infraorder	Viverroidea	Gray 1821
family	Herpestidae	(Bonaparte 1845)
family	Herpestidae	(Bonaparte 1845)

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Fm. †Herpestidae Bonaparte 1845 [mongoose]

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G. Bdeogale Peters 1850

Bdeogale crassicauda Peters 1852 [bushy-tailed mongoose]

Bdeogale nigripes Pucheran 1855 [black-footed mongoose]

G. Crossarchus Cuvier 1825 [dwarf mongoose]

Crossarchus alexandri Thomas and Wroughton 1907 [Alexander's Kusimanse]

Crossarchus ansorgei Thomas 1910 [Angolan kusimanse]

Crossarchus obscurus Cuvier 1825 [common kusimanse]

Crossarchus platycephalus Goldman 1984 [Flat-headed kusimanse]

Crossarchus zebra Rüppell 1835

G. Cynictis Ogilby 1833 [yellow mongoose]

Cynictis penicillata Cuvier 1829 [yellow mongoose]

G. Dologale Thomas 1920

G. Galerella Gray 1864 [slender mongoose]

Galerella nigrata Thomas 1928 [Black mongoose]

Galerella ochracea Gray 1849 [Somalian slender mongoose]

Galerella ochracea bocagei Thomas and Wroughton 1905

Galerella ochracea perfulvidus Thomas 1904

Galerella ochracea fulvidior Thomas 1904

Galerella pulverulenta Wagner 1839 [Cape grey mongoose]

G. Helogale Gray 1861 [dwarf mongoose]

Helogale hirtula Thomas 1904 [Ethiopian dwarf mongoose]

Helogale hirtula ahlselli Lönnberg 1912

Helogale parvula Sundevall 1847 [common dwarf mongoose]

Invalid names: Herpestes undulatus Peters 1852 [synonym]

G. Herpestes Illliger 1811

†Herpestes abdelalii Geraads 1997

Herpestes auropunctatus Hodgson 1836

Herpestes brachyurus Gray 1837 [Short-tailed mongoose]

Herpestes edwardsii Geoffroy 1881 [Indian gray mongoose]

Herpestes fuscus Waterhouse 1838 [brown mongoose]

Herpestes gracilis Rüppell 1835

Invalid names: Herpestes thysanurus Wagner 1839 [synonym]

Herpestes ichneumon Linnaeus 1758 [Egyptian mongoose]

Herpestes javanicus Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 1818 [Javan mongoose]

Herpestes naso de Winton 1901 [long-nosed mongoose]

Herpestes rubrifons Allen 1909

Herpestes sanguineus Rüppell 1835 [slender mongoose]

Mungos sanguineus rendilis Lönnberg 1912

Invalid names: Mungos dentifer Heller 1913 [synonym]

Herpestes sanguineus orestes Heller 1911

Herpestes semitorquatus Gray 1846 [collard mongoose]

Herpestes smithii Gray 1837 [ruddy mongoose]

Herpestes smithii canens Thomas 1923

Herpestes smithii jerdoni Gray 1864

Invalid names: Herpestes monticolus Jerdon 1867 [objective synonym]

Herpestes smithii rusanus Thomas 1923

Herpestes smithii smithii Gray 1837

Herpestes smithii zeylanius Thomas 1923

Invalid names: Herpestes ellioti Blyth 1851 [synonym], Herpestes rubiginosus Kelaart 1852 [synonym], Herpestes torquatus Jerdon 1867 [synonym]

Herpestes urva Hodgson 1836 [crab-eating mongoose]

Invalid names: Urva hanensis Matschie 1908 [synonym]

Herpestes vitticollis Bennett 1835 [stripe necked mongoose]

Invalid names: Crossarchus rubiginosus Wagner 1841 [synonym]

Invalid names: Calictis Gray 1864 [synonym], Calogale Gray 1864 [synonym], Onychogale Gray 1864 [synonym], Taeniogale Gray 1864 [synonym], Urva Hodgson 1837 [synonym]

Subfm. Herpestinae Bonaparte 1845

G. Atilax Cuvier 1826 [marsh mongoose]

Atilax paludinosus Cuvier 1829 [marsh mongoose]

G. Ichneumia Geoffroy 1837

Ichneumia albicauda Cuvier 1829 [white-tailed mongoose]

Ichneumia albicauda dialeucos Hollister 1916

Ichneumia albicauda loandae Thomas 1904

Ichneumia albicauda loempo Temminck 1853

Ichneumia albicauda grandis Thomas 1890

†Ichneumia nims Geraads 1997

Invalid names: Herpestes Cuvier 1829 [replaced]

G. †Legetetia Schmidt-Kittler 1987

†Legetetia nandii Schmidt-Kittler 1987

G. Liberiictis Hayman 1958

Liberiictis kuhni Hayman 1958 [Liberian mongoose]

G. Mungos Geoffroy Saint Hilaire and Cuvier 1795

Mungos gambianus Ogilby 1835 [Gambian mongoose]

Mungos mungo Gmelin 1788 [banded mongoose]

Invalid names: Crossarchus fasciatus Desmarest 1823 [synonym]

Invalid names: Ariela Gray 1864 [synonym]

G. †Paracynictis Pocock 1916

†Paracynictis selousi de Winton 1896

G. Rhynchogale Thomas 1894

Rhynchogale melleri Gray 1864 [Meller's mongoose]

Invalid names: Rhinogale Gray 1865 [replaced]

G. Suricata Desmarest 1804 [meerkat]

Suricata suricatta Schreber 1776 [meerkat]

Invalid names: Ryzaena Illiger 1811 [synonym]

G. †Ugandictis Morales et al. 2007

†Ugandictis napakensis Morales et al. 2007

G. Xenogale Allen 1919

Xenogale microdon Allen 1919

Diagnosis

No diagnoses are available

Measurements

No measurements are available

Composition:

phosphaticsubp

Environment:

terrestrialsubc

Locomotion:

actively mobilec

Life habit:

ground dwellingf

Diet:

insectivoref

Diet 2:

carnivoref

Reproduction:

viviparoussubc

Created:

2005-06-08 10:11:09

Modified:

2005-08-22 19:45:22

Source: f = family, subc = subclass, c = class, subp = subphylum

References: Carroll 1988, Nowak 1991, Ji et al. 2002, Hendy et al. 2009, Lillegraven 1979

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the MN 4 to the top of the Holocene or 16.90000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 15.97 Ma

Collections (101 total)

Time interval	Ma	Country or state	Original ID and collection number
Burdigalian	20.44 - 15.97	Serbia and Montenegro (Serbia)	Herpestes aurelianensis (39714)
Burdigalian	20.44 - 15.97	Uganda	Ugandictis napakensis (28441)
Burdigalian	20.44 - 15.97	Kenya	Ugandictis napakensis (21726)
MN 4	16.9 - 15.97	France (Centre)	Herpestes aurelianensis (69116)
MN 7 + 8	12.75 - 11.1	Switzerland (Baselland)	Herpestes filholi (49421)
Tortonian	11.62 - 7.246	Kenya	Cynictis sp., Ichneumia sp., Galerella sp. (219711)
Tortonian - Zanclean	11.62 - 3.6	Ethiopia	Helogale kitafe, Herpestes indet. (22139)
Vallesian	11.608 - 8.7	China (shaanxi)	Viverridae indet. (42254)
Messinian	7.246 - 5.333	Chad	Galerella sanguinea (59839)
Messinian	7.246 - 5.333	Kenya	Atilax sp. (22274) Ichneumia sp. (22275)
Messinian - Piacenzian	7.246 - 2.588	South Africa (Cape)	Herpestes sp., Herpestinae indet. (59167)
Early/Lower Pliocene	5.333 - 3.6	Kenya	Herpestidae indet. (230936)
Zanclean	5.333 - 3.6	Ethiopia	Helogale kitafe (22160)
Zanclean	5.333 - 3.6	South Africa	Herpestes sp., Herpestinae indet. (22222) Herpestinae indet. (22221)
Pliocene	5.333 - 2.588	South Africa	Helogale sp. (22339)
Pliocene	5.333 - 2.588	Tanzania (Eastern Drift Valley)	Helogale palaeogracilis, Herpestes palaeoserengetensis, Mungos dietrichi, Herpestes ichneumon (32050)
Late/Upper Pliocene	3.6 - 2.588	South Africa (Langebaanweg)	Herpestes sp. (21713)
Late/Upper Pliocene	3.6 - 2.588	South Africa	Cynictis penicillata (22340)
Late/Upper Pliocene	3.6 - 2.588	Morocco	Herpestes abdelalii (32052) Herpestes abdelalii, Ichneumia nims (32054)
Late/Upper Pliocene - Piacenzian	3.6 - 2.588	Ethiopia	Helogale kitafe (21546)
Piacenzian	3.6 - 2.588	Tanzania	Mungos dietrichi (21797)
Piacenzian	3.6 - 2.588	Ethiopia	Herpestes sp. (21762 21783)
Late/Upper Pliocene - Pleistocene	3.6 - 0.0117	South Africa	Crossarchus transvaalensis, Herpestes mesotes (22334) Herpestes sp. (22330 22332)
Gelasian	2.588 - 1.806	Kenya (Rift Valley)	Mungos dietrichi (21280)
Gelasian	2.588 - 1.806	Ethiopia	Helogale hirtula (21545 21625 21681) Helogale kitafe (21632)
Gelasian	2.588 - 1.806	Tanzania	Cynictis sp., Mungos dietrichi (21804) Helogale palaeogracilis, Herpestes palaeoserengetensis, Herpestes ichneumon (21816) Herpestes sp. (22594)
Early/Lower Pleistocene	2.588 - 0.781	South Africa (Gauteng)	Cynictis pencillata, Suricata suricatta (183152)
Early/Lower Pleistocene	2.588 - 0.781	South Africa	Atilax mesotes, Mungos sp. (95150) Herpestes ichneumon (21824)
Pleistocene	2.588 - 0.0117	Libya	Herpestes ichneumon (21863 21864)
Pleistocene	2.588 - 0.0117	South Africa (Orange Free)	Cynictis penicillata (21867)
Pleistocene	2.588 - 0.0117	Kenya	Ichneumia albicauda (21963) Mungos sp., Herpestes ichneumon (38039)
Pleistocene	2.588 - 0.0117	South Africa	Atilax sp., Herpestidae indet., Suricata suricatta, Cynictis penicillata (21828) Atilax sp., Suricata suricatta, Cynictis penicillata, Herpestes sanguineus (21825) Galerella pulverulenta (115191) Herpestes ichneumon, Atilax paludinosus (21931) Herpestes ichneumon, Atilax paludinosus, Herpestes pulverulentus (21695 21916) Herpestes ichneumon, Atilax paludinosus, Suricata suricatta, Cynictis penicillata (21956) Herpestes ichneumon, Galerella pulverulenta (21929) Herpestes pulverulentus (21953) Suricata suricatta (21829)
Pleistocene	2.588 - 0.0117	Australia (New South Wales)	Onychogale sp. (96015)
Pleistocene - Holocene	2.588 - 0.0	Zambia	Mungos mungo, Herpestes ichneumon (21924)
Pleistocene - Holocene	2.588 - 0.0	Congo-Kinshasa	Atilax paludinosus (22074)
Pleistocene - Holocene	2.588 - 0.0	Swaziland	Herpestes sanguineus (21925)
Pleistocene - Holocene	2.588 - 0.0	South Africa (Orange Free)	Cynictis penicillata (21868)
Pleistocene - Holocene	2.588 - 0.0	South Africa	Galerella pulverulenta (21952) Herpestes ichneumon, Atilax paludinosus, Herpestes pulverulentus (21951) Herpestes ichneumon, Herpestes pulverulentus (21948) Herpestes pulverulentus (21949 21950) Suricata sp. (21711)
Middle Pleistocene - Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.774 - 0.0117	Kenya	Ichneumia albicauda (21276 21277) Ichneumia sp. (22272)
Middle Pleistocene - Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.774 - 0.0117	Tanzania	Herpestes sanguineus (21893)
Middle Pleistocene - Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.774 - 0.0117	China (Guangdong)	Herpestes urva (13293)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	Kenya (Athi-Kapiti)	Herpestes sp. (32119)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	South Africa	Herpestes ichneumon, Herpestes pulverulentus (96974) Herpestes sp. (90070) Suricata suricatta (115184)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)	0.129 - 0.0117	South Africa	Herpestes pulverulentus (115167)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (high glacial)	0.129 - 0.0117	China (Hubei)	Herpestes urva (92787)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	South Africa (Namaqualand)	Suricata suricatta (51187)
Late/Upper Pleistocene - Holocene	0.129 - 0.0	South Africa	Herpestes ichneumon, Herpestes pulverulentus (21922)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	South Africa	Atilax paludinosus (21862) Cynictis penicillata (21866 21940 21946) Herpestes ichneumon, Atilax paludinosus, Herpestes pulverulentus (96973) Herpestes pulverulentus (21930)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Tanzania	Mungos mungo, Ichneumia albicauda (21690)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Niger	Herpestidae indet. (83305)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Zambia	Herpestes sanguineus (21894 21895)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Congo-Kinshasa	Bdeogale pardus, Crossarchus alexandri (22073)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	South Africa (N. Transraal)	Mungos mungo, Atilax paludinosus, Cynictis penicillata, Herpestes sanguineus, Ichneumia albicauda, Paracynictis selousi (21693)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Sudan	Herpestes sanguineus (21903 208787) Herpestinae indet., Mungos mungo (208786)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	South Africa (Orange Free)	Atilax paludinosus, Cynictis penicillata (21944) Cynictis penicillata (21908 21909 21911 21943) Herpestes ichneumon, Cynictis penicillata (21861 21912)