Mellivora

Mellivora is a genus of mustelids that contains the honey badger or ratel (Mellivora capensis). It is also the sole living representative of the subfamily Mellivorinae. Additionally, two extinct species are known. The honey badger is native to much of Africa and South Asia, while fossil relatives occurred in those areas and Southern Europe.

Mellivora Temporal range: Late Miocene - Recent
Honey badger (Mellivora capensis)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Mustelidae
Subfamily:	Mellivorinae Gray, 1865[1]
Genus:	Mellivora Storr, 1780
Type species
Viverra ratel[2] Sparrman, 1777
Species
Mellivora capensis †Mellivora benfieldi †Mellivora sivalensis

Taxonomy

The genus Mellivora probably evolved from the more primitive †Promellivora punjabiensis of India (which itself was formerly classified as M. punjabiensis). The two genera are grouped together in the tribe Eomellivorini together with the extinct giant mustelids †Eomellivora and †Ekorus.^[3]

Mandible of M. benfieldi

Mellivora benfieldi is considered a likely ancestor of the living honey badger.^[4]