Civet

Civets
African civet (Civettictis civetta)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Feliformia
Included genera
Family Viverridae Chrotogale Cynogale Diplogale Hemigalus Arctogalidia Macrogalidia Paguma Paradoxurus Civettictis Viverra Viverricula Family Nandiniidae Nandinia Family Eupleridae Fossa
Excluded genera (These carnivorans are not traditionally considered civets)
Family Viverridae Arctictis Genetta Poiana Family Eupleridae Cryptoprocta Eupleres Galidia Galidictis Mungotictis Salanoia

A civet (/ˈsɪvɪt/) is a small, lean, mostly nocturnal mammal native to tropical Asia and Africa, especially the tropical forests. The term civet applies to over a dozen different species, mostly from the family Viverridae. Most of the species's diversity is found in southeast Asia. Civets do not form a monophyletic group, as they consist only of certain members of the Viverridae, Eupleridae, and Nandiniidae.

The African civet, Civettictis civetta,^[1] has historically been the main species from which a musky scent used in perfumery, also referred to as "civet", was obtained.