| Herpestoidea | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Top to bottom:Fossa,spotted hyena,Indian grey mongoose | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Parvorder: | Viverroidea |
| Superfamily: | Herpestoidea Bonaparte, 1845 |
| Families | |
| |
| Synonyms | |
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Herpestoidea is a superfamily ofMammaliacarnivores which includesmongooses,[2]Malagasy carnivorans[3] and thehyenas.
Herpestoids, with the exception of the hyenas, have a cylindrical and elongated body, which allows them to get into holes to catch prey.[2] Herpestoids arefeliforms and several of them specialize in hunting animals bigger than they are.[4]
They live throughoutEurasia,Africa and theisland ofMadagascar.[4]
SuperfamilyHerpestoidea[5]
Thephylogenetic relationships of Herpestoidea are shown in the followingcladogram:[6][7][5]
| Herpestoidea |
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The family †Lophocyonidae, which was recovered as closely related to Hyaenidae in 2019, rather seems to belong somewhere betweenViverridae and Herpestoidea.
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