Although the terrestrial and marine carnivores are grouped together in the following classification, m.... usual absent;

Four tooth types are indicated in the following manner: Medium- to large-sized terrestrial or aquatic meat eaters distributed worldwide; composed of 10 extant families, about 115 living genera, and 274 living species. Suborder Terrestrial (except otters and polar bear); usually 3 pairs of incisors above and below, adapted for biting off flesh; premolars vary in number from the usual 4 on each half of each jaw (4/4) to 4 above and 2 below (4/2); molars vary from 2/3 to 1/2; carnassial teeth well developed and formed by the 4th upper premolar and 1st lower molar; usual dental for mula: 3 . 2 = 42 teeth; all-inclusive dental formula: (23) . (14) = 2850 teeth; facial part of skull usually elongate; tympanic bullae large; alisphenoid canal (a perforation in the skull for a branch of the carotid artery) usually present; lacrimal duct present; pelvis at distinct angle from vertebral column; femur (thigh bone) straight, moderately slender, with small head; fibula (minor lower bone o! f hindlimb) much smaller than tibia (shinbone); 1st metatarsal and bones of phalanges with epiphyses only at proximal ends; metapodials never elongate; vertebrae with interlocking processes; external ears (pinnae) well developed; intestine short (6 to 8 times length of body in dog); kidneys simple, not lobulate except in otters and young bears. (cats, civets, and hyenas) Tympanic bullae divided, composed of external tympanic and internal endotympanic bones; paroccipital process in close contact with bullae; most have retractile or semiretractile claws; cecum small; baculum (bone of penis) present or absent; usually polyestrous; upper Eocene to Recent; 42 living genera and 115 species. Well-developed carnassials; upper carnassials usually lack an anterior lobe and the lower carnassials have a well-developed talonid process; middle incisor on each side located farther inward than the outer 2; incisors broad; 4 small premolars, with 1st minute or absent; molars 2/2 or in some ! cases 1/2 ( Prionodon ), 2/1 ( Salanoia ), or 1/1 ( Cryptoproc! ta ); molars large, especially the 1st; dental formula usually 3 . Alisphenoid canal usually present (absent in Eupleres and most members of subfamily Galidiinae); entepicondylar foramen of humerus usually present; auditory bulla externally constricted and divided by septum. (true civets, genets, and linsangs) Mainly African; approximately 7 living genera and 15 species. Mainly Asian, 6 living genera and 8 species. (banded palm civets, web-footed civets) Asia or Madagascar, 5 living genera and 7 species. Restricted to Madagascar, 4 living genera and 7 species. All African, 13 living genera and approximately 37 species. Medium-sized (10 to 80 kg; 22 to 175 lb) carrion feeders; teeth specialized for crushing bones; incisors unspecialized, outer (3rd) larger than other 2; canines powerful; premolars strong and conical; molars strong and large; carnassials well developed (hyenas); long, slender canines in aardwolf ( Proteles ; see ) with small and widely spaced premolars, small! molars, and no development of carnassials. Alisphenoid canal absent; auditory bullae partially divided by a rudimentary septum in hyenas, divided in aardwolf; front legs longer than rear legs; digitigrade; 4 toes (5 on forefoot in aardwolf); claws blunt and nonretractile; entepicondylar foramen absent; baculum absent; more thoracic vertebrae (15) than any other feloid: tail of medium length (20 to 33 cm) and bushy. Africa and southwest Asia; 2 living genera, 3 species. Total number of teeth reduced from primitive carnivore condition; dental formula typically 3 . 1 = 30 teeth; alisphenoid canal absent; auditory bullae not constricted externally; posterior palatine foramina on maxillopalatine suture instead of on maxilla. Entepicondylar foramen present; baculum absent or vestigial; cecum small; tail short (lynx) to long (up to a third of total length). 2 living genera, 35 species. Cecum present or absent; baculum well developed; usually monestrous (1 litter of young per year! ). Eocene to Recent; 53 living genera and 133 species. 2 = 42; bush dog! ( Speothos ) with (12)/2 molars (1 upper molar is sometimes minute or absent) = 38 to 40 teeth; Cape fox ( Otocyon ) with (34)/(45) molars = 46 to 50 teeth. 11 living genera and approximately 37 species. 3 living monotypic genera: Cuon alpinus , Lycaon pictus , Speothos venaticus . Size medium to large (27 to 780 kg; 60 to 1700 lb); usually omnivorous; carnassials poorly developed; dental formula variable, but typically 3 . Entepicondylar foramen of humerus usually absent; lacrimal bone of skull, clavicle, and cecum absent; tail short, practically absent; ears small and rounded; lips mobile and free from gum. 6 genera and 8 living species. Size medium (0.8 to 22 kg; 1.75 to 48.4 lb); omnivorous; carnassials poorly developed; dental formula usually 3 . 2 = 40, with some variation in number of premolars (kinkajou 3/3, lesser panda 3/4); alisphenoid canal absent except in Ailurus ; legs of medium length; semiplantigrade to plantigrade; 5 flexible toes on each foot capped by n! onretractile or semiretractile claws; entepicondylar foramen sometimes present; baculum well developed and, except for Ailurus , bilobed and hooked at distal end; cecum absent; clavicle vestigial; tail long (20 to 70 cm; 7.9 to 27.6 in.), often ringed, prehensile in Potos ; ears small to medium in size and rounded. 7 living genera and approximately 14 species. Size from smallest of carnivores (35 gm; 1.2 oz) to medium; mainly carnivorous; carnassials usually well developed; dental formula usually 3 . 1 = 34 teeth but may range from 30 to 38 teeth, with variation in incisors (3/2 in sea otter), molars (1/1 in ratel and African striped weasel), but especially premolars (2/3 in the African striped weasel, 4/2 in the river otter, 4/4 in American badger); alisphenoid canal absent; legs short in relation to elongate body; plantigrade to digitigrade; 5 toes on each foot, capped with nonretractile claws; entepicondylar foramen present or absent; tail usually long (up to 1/3 of tota! l length); ears small and rounded; anal scent glands well developed. Th! ere are 3 living genera and 11 species. There are 5 living genera and 19 species. Aquatic; teeth nearly homodont (uniform) and adapted for grasping and tearing, not chewing; 2 pairs of incisors below; postcanines (premolars and molars) similar, never more than 2-rooted, and usually 5 on each jaw (varies from 3 to 7); car nassials absent; usual dental formula 2 . Tympanic bullae small in some; alisphenoid canal present or absent; lacrimal duct absent; basioccipital and sphenoid relatively large as compared with fissipeds; pelvis small and nearly parallel to vertebral column; femur broad, flattened, with globular head on short neck; fibula almost as large as tibia; metatarsals and all bones of phalanges with epiphyses at both ends of shaft; metapodials elongate; 5 well-developed digits on each limb; 1 digit on manus and 1st and 5th digits of pes usually longer than other digits; feet fully webbed; nails small to absent; baculum massive. 2 pairs of lower incisors; upper inciso! rs of 1st pair notched transversely; usually 20 to 22 postcanine teeth; dental formula 2 . There are 4 living genera and 5 species. There are 2 living genera, 7 species. External pinnae absent; postorbital process absent; alisphenoid canal present. Lower incisors absent in adult; upper canines of both sexes form tusks; usually 12 postcanine teeth; dental formula 0 . Hindlimbs useless on land (cannot be placed forward under body); nails equally well developed on all digits; external pinnae absent; postorbital process rudimentary or absent; alisphenoid canal absent; 2 to 4 lower incisors; usually 16 to 20 postcanine teeth; dental formula (12) . Northern temperate to Arctic waters; 7 living genera and 9 species. Tropical and Southern Hemisphere waters; 6 living genera and 9 species. usual absent;