NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Common Genet
Genetta genetta (Linnaeus, 1758)
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The common genet (Genetta genetta) is a small viverrid indigenous to Africa that was introduced to southwestern Europe. It is widely distributed north of the Sahara, in savanna zones south of the Sahara to southern Africa and along the coast of Arabia, Yemen and Oman. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Wikipedia contributors, Common genet; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T02:19:44.086550+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Genetta genetta (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Name authority
- (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Common name
- Common Genet
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Carnivora
- Family
- Viverridae
- Genus
- Genetta
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classMammalia Linnaeus, 1758
- subclassTheria Parker & Haswell, 1897
- infraclassEutheria Gill, 1872
- orderCarnivora Bowdich, 1821
- suborderFeliformia Kretzoi, 1945
- familyViverridae Gray, 1821
- subfamilyGenettinae Gray, 1864
- genusGenetta G. Cuvier, 1816
- speciesGenetta genetta (Linnaeus, 1758)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Genetta. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Abyssinian GenetGenetta abyssinica (Rüppell, 1836) | ViverridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Crested GenetGenetta cristata Hayman in Sanborn, 1940 | ViverridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Giant Forest GenetGenetta victoriae Thomas, 1901 | ViverridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Servaline GenetGenetta servalina Pucheran, 1855 | ViverridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Angolan GenetGenetta angolensis Bocage, 1882 | ViverridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Bourlon's GenetGenetta bourloni Gaubert, 2003 | ViverridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Johnston's GenetGenetta johnstoni Pocock, 1908 | ViverridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Pardine GenetGenetta pardina I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1832 | ViverridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Aquatic GenetGenetta piscivora (J. A. Allen, 1919) | ViverridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| King GenetGenetta poensis Waterhouse, 1838 | ViverridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Hausa GenetGenetta thierryi Matschie, 1902 | ViverridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Cape GenetGenetta tigrina (Schreber, 1776) | ViverridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Genetta genetta afra F. Cuvier, 1825 F. Cuvier, 1825 | synonym |
| Viverra genetta Linnaeus, 1758 Linnaeus, 1758 | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Europe & Northern Asia (excluding China)
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=621991 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:3FKP4. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.