mongoose

The name is derived from names used in India for Herpestes species:{{cite book |author=Valentini, M.B. |name-list-style=amp |author2=Major, J.D. |year=1714 |title=Museum museorum, oder, Vollständige Schau Bühne aller Materialien und Specereyen |volume=2 Appendix IX |location=Franckfurt am Mayn |publisher=Johann David Zunners Sel. Erben, und Johann Adam Jungen |page=24 |chapter=Viverra Indica grysea. Mungos |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/gri_33125008634889/page/n327/mode/2up/}}{{cite book |author=Jerdon, T.C. |year=1874 |title=The mammals of India; a natural history of all the animals known to inhabit continental India |location=London |publisher=J. Wheldon |pages=132–134 |chapter=127. Herpestes griseus |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/mammalsofindiana00jerdrich/page/132/mode/2up}}{{cite book |author=Sterndale, R.A. |year=1884 |title=Natural history of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon |location=Calcutta |publisher=Thacker & Spink |pages=222–228 |chapter=Herpestidae. The Ichneumon or Mungoose Family |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/naturalhistoryof00ster/page/222/mode/2up}}{{cite book |author=Lydekker, R. |year=1894 |title=A hand-book to the Carnivora. Part 1: Cats, civets, and mungooses |location=London |publisher=Edward Lloyd Limited |chapter=XIII. The Mungooses. Genus Herpestes |pages=244–269 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/handbooktocarniv00lyde/page/244}}

{{lang|hi-Latn|muṅgūs}} or {{lang|hi-Latn|maṅgūs}} in classical Hindi;{{cite book |author=Platts, J.T. |year=1884 |title=A dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi, and English |location=London |publisher=W. H. Allen & Co. |page=1081 |chapter=منگوس मुंगूस muṅgūs, or मंगूस maṅgūs. The Mongoose, or ichneumon, Viverra ichneumon |chapter-url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/app/platts_query.py?page=1081}}

{{lang|mr-Latn|muṅgūs}} in Marathi;{{cite book |author=Molesworth, J. T. |year=1857 |title=A dictionary, Marathi and English |edition=Second, revised and enlarged |location=Bombay |publisher=Printed for Government at the Bombay Education Society's Press |page=384 |chapter=मुंगूस muṅgūsa, Bengal Mungoose, Viverra Ichneumon, or Herpesteus Griseus |chapter-url=https://dsalsrv04.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/app/molesworth_query.py?page=384 |access-date=5 April 2020 |archive-date=30 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130183559/https://dsalsrv04.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/app/molesworth_query.py?page=384 }}

{{lang|te-Latn|mungisa}} in Telugu;{{cite book |author=Brown, C.P. |year=1903 |title=A Telugu-English dictionary |edition=New, thoroughly revised and brought up to date second |location=Madras |publisher=Promoting Christian Knowledge |page=997 |chapter=ముంగి or ముంగిస mungi. The ichneumon or mongoose, a kind of weasel. Viverra ichneumon |chapter-url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/app/brown_query.py?page=997}}

{{lang|kn-Latn|mungi}}, {{lang|kn-Latn|mungisi}} and {{lang|kn-Latn|munguli}} in Kannada.{{cite book |author1=Reeve, W. |name-list-style=amp |author2=Sanderson, D. |year=1858 |title=A dictionary, Canarese and English |chapter=ಮುಂಗಿ, ಮುಂಗಿಸಿ, ಮುಂಗುಲಿ |publisher=Wesleyan Mission Press |location=Bangalore |edition=Revised, corrected and enlarged |page=787 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NycOAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA787}}

The form of the English name (since 1698) was altered to its "-goose" ending by folk etymology.{{Cite book |title=The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll Through the Hidden Connections of the English Language |last=Forsyth |first=M. |date=2012 |publisher=Penguin Books |chapter=Folk etymology |chapter-url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=U0zav6EgOwYC |page=77}} |page=77 |isbn=978-1-101-61176-0}} It was spelled "mungoose" in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The plural form is "mongooses".{{Cite book |first1=H. E. |last1=Hinton |name-list-style=amp |first2=A. M. S. |last2=Dunn |title=Mongooses: Their Natural History and Behaviour |chapter=Preface |page=v |location=Berkeley |publisher=University of California Press |year=1967 |oclc=1975837}}

Mongooses have long faces and bodies, small, rounded ears, short legs, and long, tapering tails. Most are brindled or grizzly; a few have strongly marked coats which bear a striking resemblance to mustelids. Their markings consist of dark legs, stripes, and pale ringed tails. They have narrow, ovular pupils and nonretractile claws. Most species have a large anal scent gland, used for territorial marking and signaling reproductive status,{{cite book |editor=Macdonald, D. |year=2009 |title=The Encyclopedia of Mammals |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |page=660 |isbn=978-0-19-956799-7}} and a short and smooth penis with a baculum and an elongated urethral opening on its underside.{{Cite book |last=Estes |first=R. |title=The Behavior Guide to African Mammals: Including Hoofed Mammals, Carnivores, Primates |date=1991 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-08085-0 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Behavior_Guide_to_African_Mammals/g977LsZHpcsC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA279&printsec=frontcover}} The dental formula of mongooses is {{DentalFormula |upper=3.1.3–4.1–2 |lower=3.1.3–4.1–2}}.

They range from {{cvt|24|to|58|cm}} in head-to-body length, excluding the tail. In weight, they range from {{cvt|320|g}} to {{cvt|5|kg}}.

Mongooses are one of at least four known mammalian taxa with mutations in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor that protect against snake venom.{{cite journal |author1=Barchan, D. |author2=Kachalsky, S., Neumann, D., Vogel, Z., Ovadia, M., Kochva, E. and Fuchs, S. |title=How the mongoose can fight the snake: the binding site of the mongoose acetylcholine receptor |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |volume=89 |issue=16 |pages=7717–7721 |date=1992 |url=https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/89/16/7717.full.pdf |doi=10.1073/pnas.89.16.7717 |pmid=1380164 |pmc=49782|bibcode=1992PNAS...89.7717B |doi-access=free}} Their modified receptors prevent the snake venom α-neurotoxin from binding. These represent four separate, independent mutations. In the mongoose, this change is effected, uniquely, by glycosylation.{{cite journal |last1=Drabeck |first1=D. H. |last2=Dean |first2=A. M. |last3=Jansa |first3=S. A. |title=Why the honey badger don't care: Convergent evolution of venom-targeted nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in mammals that survive venomous snake bites |journal=Toxicon |date= 2015 |volume=99 |pages=68–72 |doi=10.1016/j.toxicon.2015.03.007 |pmid=25796346|bibcode=2015Txcn...99...68D}}

Herpestina was a scientific name proposed by Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1845 who considered the mongooses a subfamily of the Viverridae.{{cite book |last1=Bonaparte |first1=C. L. |title=Catalogo Methodico dei Mammiferi Europei |date=1845 |publisher=L. di Giacomo Pirola |location=Milan, Italy |page=8 |chapter=Fam. VII. Viverridae |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/catalogometodico00bona_0#page/8/mode/2up}} In 1864, John Edward Gray classified the mongooses into three subfamilies: Galidiinae, Herpestinae and Mungotinae.{{cite journal |last1=Gray |first1=J.E. |title=A revision of the genera and species of viverrine animals (Viverridae) founded on the collection in the British Museum |journal=Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London |date=1865 |pages=502–579 |url=https://archive.org/details/proceedingsofgen64zool/page/502/mode/2up}} This grouping was supported by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1919, who referred to the family as "Mungotidae".{{cite journal |last1=Pocock |first1=R. I. |title=The classification of mongooses (Mungotidae) |journal=The Annals and Magazine of Natural History |date=1919 |issue=3 |pages=515–524 |series=9 |doi=10.1080/00222931908673851 |url=https://zenodo.org/record/2235543}}

Genetic research based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA analyses revealed that the Galidiinae are more closely related to Madagascar carnivores, including the fossa and Malagasy civet.{{Cite journal |last1=Yoder |first1=A. D. |first2=M. M. |last2=Burns |year=2003 |last3=Zehr |first3=S. |last4=Delefosse |first4=T. |last5=Veron |first5=G. |last6=Goodman |first6=S. M. |last7=Flynn |first7=J. J. |s2cid=4404379 |title=Single origin of Malagasy carnivora from an African ancestor |journal=Nature |volume=421 |issue=6924 |pages=434–437 |doi=10.1038/nature01303 |pmid=12610623|bibcode=2003Natur.421..734Y }}{{cite journal |last1=Flynn |first1=J. J. |last2=Finarelli |first2=J.|last3=Zehr |first3=S. |last4=Hsu |first4=J. |last5=Nedbal |first5=M. |title=Molecular phylogeny of the Carnivora (Mammalia): Assessing the Impact of Increased sampling on resolving enigmatic relationships |journal=Systematic Biology |date=2005 |volume=54 |issue=2 |pages=317–337 |doi=10.1080/10635150590923326 |pmid=16012099|doi-access=free }} Galidiinae is considered a subfamily of Eupleridae.{{MSW3|id=14000443|page=}}

Phylogenetic research of 18 mongoose species revealed that the solitary and social mongooses form different clades.{{cite journal |last1=Veron |first1=G. |last2=Colyn |first2=M. |last3=Dunham |first3=A.E. |last4=Taylor |first4=P. |last5=Gaubert |first5=P. |title=Molecular systematics and origin of sociality in mongooses (Herpestidae, Carnivora) |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |date=2004 |volume=30 |issue=3 |pages=582–598 |doi=10.1016/S1055-7903(03)00229-X |pmid=15012940|bibcode=2004MolPE..30..582V }}

The phylogenetic relationships of Herpestidae are shown in the following cladogram:{{cite journal |last1=Barycka |first1=E. |title=Evolution and systematics of the feliform Carnivora |journal=Mammalian Biology |date=2005 |volume=72 |issue=5 |pages=257–282 |doi=10.1016/j.mambio.2006.10.011}}{{cite journal |last1=Patou |first1=M. |last2=Mclenachan |first2=P.A. |last3=Morley |first3=C.G. |last4=Couloux |first4=A. |last5=Jennings |first5=A.P. |last6=Veron |first6=G. |title=Molecular phylogeny of the Herpestidae (Mammalia, Carnivora) with a special emphasis on the Asian Herpestes |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |date=2009 |volume=53 |issue=1 |pages=69–80 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2009.05.038 |pmid=19520178 |bibcode=2009MolPE..53...69P |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26286265}}

{{clade |style=font-size:85%;line-height:85%;

|label1=Herpestidae

|1={{clade

|label2=Mungotinae|style2=background-color:#eeccFF;

|2={{clade

|1={{clade

|1={{clade

|1={{clade

|label1=Helogale

|1={{clade

|1=Helogale parvula (Common dwarf mongoose)

|2=Helogale hirtula (Ethiopian dwarf mongoose)

}}

|label2=Dologale

|2=Dologale dybowskii (Pousargues's mongoose)

}}

|label2=Crossarchus

|2={{clade

|1=Crossarchus alexandri (Alexander's kusimanse)

|2=Crossarchus ansorgei (Angolan kusimanse)

|3=Crossarchus platycephalus (Flat-headed kusimanse)

|4=Crossarchus obscurus (Common kusimanse) 50px

}} }}

|2={{clade

|label1=Liberiictis

|1=Liberiictis kuhni (Liberian mongoose)

|label2=Mungos

|2={{clade

|1=Mungos gambianus (Gambian mongoose)

|2=Mungos mungo (Banded mongoose) 50px

}} }} }}

|label2=Suricata

|2=Suricata suricatta (Meerkat) 20px

}}

|label1=Herpestinae|style1=background-color:#ccccFF;

|1={{clade

|1={{clade

|1={{clade

|1={{clade

|1={{clade

|label1=Bdeogale

|1={{clade

|1={{clade

|1=Bdeogale jacksoni (Jackson's mongoose)

|2=Bdeogale nigripes (Black-footed mongoose)

}}

|2=Bdeogale crassicauda (Bushy-tailed mongoose)

}}

|label2=Rhynchogale

|2=Rhynchogale melleri (Meller's mongoose) 50px

}}

|2={{clade

|label1=Paracynictis

|1=Paracynictis selousi (Selous's mongoose)

|label2=Cynictis

|2=Cynictis penicillata (Yellow mongoose)

}} }}

|label2=Ichneumia

|2=Ichneumia albicauda (White-tailed mongoose)

}}

|label2=Herpestes

|2={{clade

|1=Herpestes ichneumon (Egyptian mongoose)

|2={{clade

|1=Herpestes sanguinea (Slender mongoose)

|2=Herpestes pulverulenta (Cape gray mongoose)

|3=Herpestes ochracea (Somalian slender mongoose)

|4=Herpestes flavescens (Angolan slender mongoose) (including black mongoose)

}} }} }}

|2={{clade

|1={{clade

|label1=Atilax

|1=Atilax paludinosus (Marsh mongoose)

|label2=Xenogale

|2=Xenogale naso (Long-nosed mongoose)

}}

|2={{clade

|1=†"Herpestes lemanensis"

|label2=Urva

|2={{clade

|1={{clade

|1={{clade

|1=Urva brachyura (Short-tailed mongoose)

|2=Urva semitorquata (Collared mongoose)

}}

|2=Urva urva (Crab-eating mongoose)

}}

|2={{clade

|1={{clade

|1=Urva smithii (Ruddy mongoose)

|2=Urva vitticolla (Stripe-necked mongoose)

}}

|2={{clade

|1=Urva fusca (Indian brown mongoose)

|2={{clade

|1=Urva edwardsii (Indian gray mongoose)

|2=Urva javanica (Small Asian mongoose) 50px

}} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }}

Atilax {{small|Cuvier, 1826}}

• †A. mesotes {{small|Ewer 1956}}

Herpestes {{small|Illiger, 1811}}

• †H. lemanensis {{small|Pomel, 1853}}

Leptoplesictis {{small|Major, 1903}}{{cite journal|author=Morales, J. |author2=Pickford, M. |author3=Salesa, M.J. |year=2008|title=Creodonta and Carnivora from the Early Miocene of the Northern Sperrgebiet, Namibia|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235672779|journal=Memoir of the Geological Survey of Namibia|volume=20|pages=291–310}}

• †L. atavus Beaumont, 1973
• †L. aurelianensis Schlosser, 1888
• †L. filholi Gaillard, 1899
• †L. mbitensis Schmidt-Kittler, 1987
• †L. namibiensis Morales et al., 2008
• †L. peignei, Grohé et al., 2020
• †L. rangwai Schmidt-Kittler, 1987
• †L. senutae Morales et al., 2008

Some mongoose species are solitary, while others live in pairs or large groups.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-16 |title=Mongoose {{!}} Species & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/animal/mongoose |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}

Some species can learn simple tricks, and are kept as pets to control vermin.{{Cite book |last=Sherman |first=D. M. |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=J6oxHWOnRgoC |page=45}} |title=Tending Animals in the Global Village: A Guide to International Veterinary Medicine |date=2007 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-470-29210-5}}

In ancient Mesopotamia, mongooses were sacred to the deity Ninkilim, who was conflated with Ningirama, a deity of magic who was invoked for protection against serpents. According to a Babylonian popular saying, when a mouse fled from a mongoose into a serpent's hole, it announced, "I bring you greetings from the snake-charmer!" A creature resembling a mongoose also appears in Old Babylonian glyptic art, but its significance is not known.{{cite book |last1=Black |first1=J. |first2=A. |last2=Green |title=Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia: An Illustrated Dictionary |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=05LXAAAAMAAJ}} |publisher=The British Museum Press |year=1992 |isbn=0-7141-1705-6 |page=132 }}

All mongoose species, except for Suricata suricatta, are classed as a "prohibited new organism" under New Zealand's Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996, preventing them from being imported into the country.{{cite web |url=http://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1996/0030/latest/DLM386556.html#DLM386556 |title=Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 2003 – Schedule 2 Prohibited new organisms |publisher=New Zealand Government |access-date=26 January 2012}}

{{more citations needed|section|date = October 2020}}

A well-known fictional mongoose is Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, who appears in a short story of the same title in The Jungle Book (1894) by Rudyard Kipling. In this tale set in India, a young pet mongoose saves his human family from a krait and from Nag and Nagaina, two cobras. The story was later made into several films and a song by Donovan, among other references. A mongoose is also featured in Bram Stoker's novel The Lair of the White Worm. The main character, Adam Salton, purchases one to independently hunt snakes. Another mongoose features in the denouement of the Sherlock Holmes story "The Adventure of the Crooked Man", by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The Indian Tamil devotional film Padai Veetu Amman shows Tamil actor Vinu Chakravarthy changing himself into a mongoose by using his evil tantric mantra, to fight the goddess Amman. However, the mongoose finally dies at the hands of the goddess.

Mongoose species are prohibited to be kept as pets in the United States.{{cite web |author=Krueger, A. |date=2010 |url=http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/185181/ |title=Remembering Duluth's famous mongoose, Mr. Magoo |work=Duluth News Tribune |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201220233/http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/185181/ |archive-date=1 February 2014 }}

• List of herpestids

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{Cite book |first=A. |last=Rasa |title=Mongoose Watch: A Family Observed |location=Garden City, N.Y. |publisher=Anchor Press, Doubleday & Co |year=1986 |isbn=978-0-385-23175-6 |oclc=12664019}}
• {{cite journal |jstor=40460438|title=Man and Mongoose in Indian Culture |last1=Lodrick|first1=D. O. |journal=Anthropos |year=1982|volume=77|issue=1/2|pages=191–214}}

{{Wikispecies|Herpestidae}}

{{Commons|Herpestidae}}

• {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Ichneumon |short=x}}

{{Carnivora|F.}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q80479}}

Category:Extant Oligocene first appearances

Category:Mammals of Africa

Category:Mammals of Asia

Category:Marathi terms

Category:Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte