South African small-spotted genet | |
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Female South African small-spotted genet at Nossob Camp, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the Northern Cape, South Africa | |
Least Concern (The Red List of Mammals of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland)
[1]
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Suborder: | Feliformia |
Family: | Viverridae |
Genus: | Genetta |
Species: | G. felina
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Binomial name | |
Genetta felina (
Thunberg, 1811)
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Synonyms | |
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The South African small-spotted genet (Genetta felina) is a species of genet endemic to Southern Africa. [2]
Genetta felina was first described in 1811 by Carl Peter Thunberg. It was considered a subspecies of the common genet (Genetta genetta) but since MSW3 in 2005, was split off and classified as its own species. [2] Its classification is disputed. [3]
Genetta felina is found in South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia. [2] It lives in woodland savanna, grassland, thickets, and dry vlei areas that border deserts. [2]
The South African small-spotted genet is identified by the white tip on its tail, dark feet and dark chin. [2]