Mongoose

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
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Superfamily:	Herpestoidea
Family:	; Bonaparte, 1845
Type genus
	Herpestes; Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger, 1811
Genera
	List Atilax; Bdeogale; Cynictis; Galerella; Herpestes; Ichneumia; Paracynictis; Rhynchogale; Crossarchus; Dologale; Helogale; Liberiictus; Mungos; Suricata;
Synonyms
	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. The Herpestidae originated about 21.8 ± 3.6 million years ago in the Early Miocene and genetically diverged into two main lineages between 19.1 and 18.5 ± 3.5 million years ago. There is a large introduced population on the islands of Hawaii. Mongoose diets are varied but consist of mainly insects, hatchlings, reptiles and birds.

^ ^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.

[msw3-1] 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.

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