The linsangs are four feliform species, two in Asia and two in Africa. The whole group was put in the Viverridae in a subfamily. The two pairs are:
The species of African linsangs are:
- Poiana leightoni – Leighton's linsang
- Poiana richardsonii – African linsang
The species of Asiatic linsangs are:
- Prionodon linsang – Banded linsang
- Prionodon pardicolor – Spotted linsang
DNA analysis shows:
- the African linsangs (Poiana) are true viverrids closely related to the genet.
- the Asiatic linsangs (Prionodon) are not, and may be the closest living relatives of the Felidae family.[1] Discovering this, the Asiatic linsangs are now put into a family of their own. They are not viverrids.
Therefore, the similarities between the two genera of linsangs must be convergent. All of them are cat-like in appearance. They are nocturnal, generally solitary tree dwellers. They are carnivorous, eating squirrels and other rodents, small birds, lizards and insects. Typical size is a little over 30 cm (1 foot), with a tail that more than doubles that length. Bodies are long, with short legs, giving a low appearance. All species have yellowish bodies with black markings (stripes, blotches and spots), though the distribution and nature of the markings varies between species.
- ↑ Gaubert, Philippe and Veron, Geraldine 2013. Exhaustive sample set among Viverridae reveals the sister-group of felids: the linsangs as a case of extreme morphological convergence within Feliformia. The Royal Society.