Galidictis
Galidictis is a genus in the subfamily Galidiinae of the family Eupleridae: a group of carnivorans that are endemic to Madagascar.[1]
| Galidictis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Grandidier's mongoose (Galidictis grandidieri) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Suborder: | Feliformia |
| Family: | Eupleridae |
| Subfamily: | Galidiinae |
| Genus: | Galidictis I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1839 |
 | |
| Galidictis ranges | |
The name is from two ancient Greek words that both approximately mean ‘weasel’: galid- (see Galidia) and iktis.[2] Compare the word Galictis (grison, a closer relative of the weasel).
It contains the following two species and two subspecies:[1]
| Image | Scientific name | Subspecies | Common name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galidictis fasciata |
|
Broad-striped Malagasy mongoose | Madagascar | |
| Galidictis grandidieri | Grandidier's mongoose | Madagascar | |
References
- Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M., eds. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. "Galidictis". ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
- Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary attributes it to "NL, fr. Gk galideus young weasel + iktis yellow-breasted marten [an ambiguous common name that might be the weasel]." However, Lewis and Short describes ictis (ἴκτις) as simply "a kind of weasel". Brill’s New Pauly likewise also writes that "ἴκτις/íktis may be a weasel".
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