Atilax F. G. Cuvier 1826

Atilax F. G. Cuvier 1826, in: E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire and F. G. Cuvier, Hist. Nat. Mammiferes, pt. 3, Vol. 5, 54: "Vansire, " 2 pp., 1 pl.

Type Species: Herpestes paludinosus G. [Baron] Cuvier 1829

Synonyms: Athylax de Blainville 1837 .

Species and subspecies: 1 species with 11 subspecies:

Species Atilax paludinosus G. Cuvier 1829

Subspecies Atilax paludinosus subsp. paludinosus G. Cuvier 1829

Subspecies Atilax paludinosus subsp. macrodon J. A. Allen 1924

Subspecies Atilax paludinosus subsp. mitis Thomas 1903

Subspecies Atilax paludinosus subsp. mordax Thomas 1912

Subspecies Atilax paludinosus subsp. nigerianus Thomas 1912

Subspecies Atilax paludinosus subsp. pluto Temminck 1853

Subspecies Atilax paludinosus subsp. robustus Gray 1865

Subspecies Atilax paludinosus subsp. rubellus Thomas and Wroughton 1908

Subspecies Atilax paludinosus subsp. rubescens Hollister 1912

Subspecies Atilax paludinosus subsp. spadiceus Cabrera 1921

Subspecies Atilax paludinosus subsp. transvaalensis Roberts 1933

Discussion: Fredga's (1972) comparative chromosome study of mongooses suggested that recognition of Atilax as distinct from Herpestes would make Herpestes paraphyletic. However, allozyme data support Atilax as the first early offshoot of the main herpestine branch (Taylor et al., 1991).