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
	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 is currently split into 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 genetic lineages between 19.1 and 18.5 ± 3.5 million years ago.

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