Herpestoidea
| Herpestoidea Temporal range:
Oligocene – Present | |
|---|---|
| Top to bottom: Fossa, spotted hyena, Indian grey mongoose | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Suborder: | Feliformia |
| Parvorder: | Viverroidea |
| Superfamily: | Herpestoidea Bonaparte, 1845 |
| Families | |
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Herpestoidea is a superfamily of mammalia carnivores which includes mongooses, Malagasy carnivorans and the hyenas.
Herpestoids, with the exception of the hyenas, have a cylindrical and elongated body, which allows them to get into holes to catch prey. Herpestoids are feliforms and several of them specialize in hunting animals bigger than they are.
They live throughout Eurasia, Africa and the island of Madagascar.