Viverrinae

Head of an African Civet

The civets ( Viverrinae ) in the broader sense are a subfamily of the civets. They are ground-dwelling, fairly large civets, which usually a strip or wear on the gray or yellow coat color spot pattern.

Civets are in many parts of Africa (excluding Madagascar) and South and Southeast Asia spread; a way that small genet, also lives in Southern Europe.

The following genera are among the civets:

• Asian civets ( Viverra )
• African civet ( Civettictis civetta )
• Small Indian Civet ( Viverricula indica)
• Genets ( Genetta ), including the Wasserzivette which is sometimes placed in the separate genus Osbornictis.
• Pojanas ( Poiana )

In a narrower sense, only the first three genera Viverra, Civettictis and Viverricula are called civets. These species produce in their Perianaldrüsen a musky secretion ( civet ), formerly in the perfume industry was used.

Errors

Is repeatedly hear that the SARS virus had been possibly transmitted by civet cats to humans. It is a taken up by almost all German media translation error; the animal that was meant here is, correctly larvae scooter.

Although the digested coffee beans civet have similar characteristics, no civet cats are responsible for the Kopi Luwak coffee - but the Civet.