Urva is a genus of mongooses, family Herpestidae, comprising nine species known as the Asian mongooses, distributed from the Arabian Peninsula to the Indonesian island of Java. Members were formerly classified within the genus Herpestes, but phylogenetic research showed they form a distinct monophyletic group descended from an Asian common ancestor, separate from the African mongooses. The small Indian mongoose, Urva auropunctata, has become an invasive species on several islands following introductions in the late 19th century.
Facts
Taxonomic Rank Scientific Name Member Species/Taxa Count Geographic DistributionRanges from the Arabian Peninsula to the Indonesian island of Java 1 Defining CharacteristicsForms a monophyletic group descended from an Asian common ancestor, distinct from the African mongooses formerly grouped with them in Herpestes 1 Sources
1. Urva (genus) - Wikipedia
Lead sentence
Urva is a genus comprising the Asian mongooses within the mongoose family Herpestidae.
Lead sentence, genus name
Urva is a genus comprising the Asian mongooses within the mongoose family Herpestidae.
Species section, list introduction
Urva comprises the following species:
Lead paragraph, distribution clause
a wide distribution spanning from the Arabian Peninsula to the Indonesian island of Java
Taxonomy section
Species in the genus were formerly classified in the genus Herpestes, which is now thought to comprise exclusively African mongooses
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