Herpestoidea

Herpestoidea is a superfamily of Mammalia carnivores which includes mongooses,^[2] Malagasy carnivorans^[3] and the hyenas.

Herpestoidea Temporal range: 29.51–0 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Oligocene – Present[1]
Top to bottom: Fossa, spotted hyena, Indian grey mongoose
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Feliformia
Parvorder:	Viverroidea
Superfamily:	Herpestoidea Bonaparte, 1845
Families
See text
Synonyms
Hyaenoidea

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 are feliforms and several of them specialize in hunting animals bigger than they are.^[4]

They live throughout Eurasia, Africa and the island of Madagascar.^[4]

Classification

Superfamily Herpestoidea^[5]

• incertae sedis: family †Lophocyonidae (it probably belongs just outside Herpestoidea)
• family Eupleridae (Malagasy carnivorans)
• family Herpestidae (mongooses and allies)
• family Hyaenidae (hyenas and aardwolf) - including the former family †Percrocutidae

Phylogenetic tree

The phylogenetic relationships of Herpestoidea are shown in the following cladogram:^[6][7][5]

Herpestoidea	Herpestidae (mongoose) Eupleridae (Malagasy mongooses) Hyaenidae †Percrocutidae Hyaenidae (hyaenas) sensu lato

The family †Lophocyonidae, which was recovered as closely related to Hyaenidae in 2019, rather seems to belong somewhere between Viverridae and Herpestoidea.