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
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Feliformia
Superfamily:	Herpestoidea
Family:	Herpestidae Bonaparte, 1845
Type genus
Herpestes Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger, 1811
Genera[1]
List Atilax Bdeogale Cynictis Galerella Herpestes Ichneumia Paracynictis Rhynchogale Crossarchus Dologale Helogale Liberiictus Mungos Suricata
Synonyms[1]
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.