Ictonychinae

Ictonychinae is a subfamily of the mammal family Mustelidae found mainly in the Neotropics (three species) and Africa (three species), with one Eurasian member. It includes the grisons, Patagonian weasel, striped polecats, African striped weasel, and marbled polecat.[2][3] These genera were formerly included within a paraphyletic definition of the mustelid subfamily Mustelinae.[4]

Ictonychinae
Greater grison (Galictis vittata)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Subfamily: Ictonychinae
Pocock, 1921[1]
Genera
Synonyms
  • Galictinae Reig, 1956
  • Grisoninae Pocock, 1921
  • Zorillinae Gill, 1872

Most members have a mask-like bar or larger dark marking across their faces; the African representatives of the group are striped. A defense mechanism common to the group is use of a chemical spray similar to (but not necessarily as strong as) that of skunks.

Species

Subfamily Ictonychinae

Tribe ImageGenusLiving Species
Ictonychini Ictonyx Kaup, 1835
Poecilogale Thomas, 1883
Vormela Blasius, 1884
Lyncodontini Lyncodon Gervais, 1845
Galictis Bell, 1826

Fossil genera

References


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