Vishnuictis

Vishnuictis is an extinct genus of viverrid known from the Middle Miocene to Pleistocene of India, Pakistan, China, Myanmar, and Kenya.^[1] It is named after Vishnu, one of the primary Hindu deities, with the Greek word ἴκτις (ίktis) "marten".

Vishnuictis Temporal range: Miocene–Pleistocene, 16.0–1.6 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Life restoration
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Feliformia
Family:	Viverridae
Subfamily:	Viverrinae
Genus:	†Vishnuictis Pilgrim, 1932
Type species
†Vishnuictis durandi (Lydekker, 1884)
Species[1][2][3]
†V. africana Morals & Pickford, 2008 †V. chinjiensis Pilgrim, 1932 †V. hariensis Prasad, 1968 †V. hasnoti Pilgrim, 1932 †V. plectilodous Sankhyan et al., 2025 †V. salmontanus Pilgrim, 1932 †V.? yuanmouensis Zong, 1997
Synonyms
Vishnuictis chinjiensis Viverra? chinjiensis Pilgrim, 1932 Vishnuictis durandi Viverra? durandi Lydekker, 1884

Description

The holotype of V. durandi was discovered by W. E. Baker and M. K. Durand in the year 1836 from the Himalayan region.^[4]. In 1868, Hugh Falconer had conducted research on the fossils and described it as possible new unnamed species of Canis. In 1884, Richard Lydekker also conducted the research on the specimen but described it as a type of viverrinae and described it as Viverra durandi, where the species name is after H. M. Durand, who discovered the fossils. In 1932, Pilgrim as also conducted a detailed research of the specimen and found out that it is quite distinguishable from the genus Viverra and described it as a species of the new genus Vishnuictis. ^[1] V. durandi and V. salmontanus are known from multiple skulls described as overall being extremely high and slender.^[1] Other species are known from multiple teeth and mandible fragments.^[1][2][3] Specimens of V. plectilodous suggest a possibly omnivorous diet and a body size larger than previously thought.^[3]

Distribution

The oldest known fossil record of Vishnuictis is V. africana (named after the continent of Africa) from the Muruyur Formation of Kenya, which date to the Middle Miocene.^[5] In Asia, V. salmontanus has been reported from the Dhok Pathan Formation and the Yuanmou Formation (China).^[1] V. plectilodous (India) and V. hasnoti (Pakistan) are also known from Dhok Pathan Formation outcrops.^[3] V. hariensis is known from Late Miocene Nagri Formation (India).^[6] V.? chinjiensis is reported from the Middle Miocene Chinji Formation of both India and Pakistan and is the oldest known Asian species of the genus. The species V.? durandi and V. hinduensis have been reported from the Pliocene to Pleistocene Pinjor Formation (India).^[1]

Taxonomy

V. durandi and V. chinjiensis were originally assigned to the genusViverra.^[1] The species V. hasnoti is closely related to V. plectilodous.^[3]