Procyonidae is a New World family of the order Carnivora.^[1] It includes the raccoons, coatis, kinkajous, olingos, ringtails and cacomistles. Procyonids inhabit a wide range of environments, and are generally omnivorous.

Characteristics

Procyonids are relatively small animals, with generally slender bodies and long tails (though common raccoon tends to be bulky). Except for the kinkajou, all procyonids have banded tails, and distinctive facial markings - these are especially visible in the raccoons. Like bears, procyonids are plantigrade, walking on the soles of their feet. Most species have non-retractile claws.

Because of their omnivorous diet, procyonids have lost some of the adaptations for flesh-eating found in their carnivorous relatives. While they do have carnassial teeth, these are poorly developed in most species, especially the raccoons. Apart from the kinkajou, procyonids have the dental formula:

While coatis are diurnal, all other procyonids are nocturnal. They are mostly solitary animals, and the mother raises litters of up to four young on her own.^[2]

Evolution

Fossils belonging to the genus Bassariscus, which includes the modern ringtail and cacomistle, have been identified from the Miocene epoch, around 20 million years ago. It has been suggested that early procyonids were an offshoot of the canids that adapted to a more omnivorous diet.^[2]

Classification

Recent genetic studies have shown that the kinkajous were an early offshoot of the ancestral procyonid line and are not closely related to any of the other extant genera; coatis and olingos are closest relatives, while the closest relatives of the raccoons are the ringtails and cacomistles.^[3] These data are not yet reflected in the classification scheme, which groups kinkajous and olingos together on the basis of similarities in morphology that are now known to be an example of parallel evolution.

There is considerable uncertainty over the correct classification of several members. The Red Panda was previously classified in this family, but it is now classified it in its own family, the Ailuridae, based on molecular biology studies. The status of the various olingos is disputed: they may all be better regarded as subspecies of Bassaricyon gabbii.

Because of their general build, the Procyonidae are often viewed as smaller cousins of the bear family. This is apparent in their German names: a raccoon is called a Waschbär (washing bear, as he "washes" his food before eating), a coati is a Nasenbär (nose-bear) while a Kinkajou is a Honigbär (honey-bear). Dutch follows suit, calling the animals wasbeer, neusbeer and rolstaartbeer respectively.

• FAMILY PROCYONIDAE
  • Subfamily Procyoninae (nine species in four genera)
    • Tribe Procyonini
      • Subtribe Procyonina
        • Raccoons, Procyon
          • Crab-eating Raccoon, Procyon cancrivorus
          • Cozumel Raccoon, Procyon pygmaeus
          • Common Raccoon, Procyon lotor
      • Subtribe Nasuina
        • Nasua
          • South American Coati or Ring-tailed Coati, Nasua nasua
          • White-nosed Coati, Nasua narica
        • Nasuella
          • Western Mountain Coati, Nasuella olivacea
          • Eastern Mountain Coati, Nasuella meridensis
    • Tribe Bassariscini
      • Bassariscus
        • Ringtail, Bassariscus astutus
        • Cacomistle, Bassariscus sumichrasti
  • Subfamily Potosinae (six species in two genera)
    • Potos
      • Kinkajou, Potos flavus
    • Olingo, Bassaricyon
      • Bushy-tailed Olingo or Gabbi's Olingo, Bassaricyon gabbii
      • Allen's Olingo, Bassaricyon alleni
      • Beddard's Olingo, Bassaricyon beddardi
      • Harris's Olingo, Bassaricyon lasius
      • Chiriqui Olingo, Bassaricyon pauli

References