Herpestes
Sign in to saveHerpestes is a genus within the mongoose family Herpestidae. It is the type genus of the family, and comprises five extant species, each with several subspecies. Several species in the family are known as slender mongooses. Fossil remains of three prehistoric species were excavated in France, and described in 1853.
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Herpestes is a genus within the mongoose family Herpestidae. It is the type genus of the family, and comprises five extant species, each with several subspecies. Several species in the family are known as slender mongooses. Fossil remains of three prehistoric species were excavated in France, and described in 1853.
==Characteristics== The living Herpestes species are sexually dimorphic, with females smaller than males. They range in weight from . They share several characteristics, including the shape of the cheek teeth and of the tympanic bullae, and the presence of the first upper molar teeth. They are all solitary. Males have one chromosome less than females, as one Y chromosome is translocated to an autosome.