Suricata suricatta

(von Schreber, 1776)

Meerkat

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Laurasiatheria
Order : Carnivora
Suborder : Feliformia
Infraorder : Viverroidea
Family : Herpestidae
Subfamily : Mungotinae
Genus : Suricata

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Schreber, J.C.D. von. 1776. pl. 117. P. pl. 117 in Schreber, J.C.D. von. 1774-1855. Die Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur, mit Beschreibungen. Walther, Die Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31064692

Original name as described

Viverra suricatta

Other common names

Suricate · Slender-tailed Meerkat · Gray Meerkat

Type locality

Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.

Biogeographic realm

Afrotropic

Country distribution

Angola · Namibia · Botswana · South Africa

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006070

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Suricata suricatta lophurus

O. Thomas & Schwann, 1905

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

lophurus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1897.11.5.10

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/227ec092-7c0c-497a-8a59-0c07ff44e208

Authority page

133

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31856659

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Suricata suricatta namaquensis

O. Thomas & Schwann, 1905

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

namaquensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1904.2.3.42

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/5244e7fe-4893-4249-9ad7-a0f841103c6b

Authority page

134

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31856660

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Suricata suricatta hamiltoni

O. Thomas & Schwann, 1905

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

hamiltoni

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1904.9.1.31

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/e77afa26-b267-488f-8c2e-194d2543edc2

Authority page

133

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31856659

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Suricata suricatta hahni

O. Thomas, 1927

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

hahni

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1926.12.7.53

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/c2a470ef-96e5-488a-8bec-0331e2056361

Authority page

376

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Surikata viverrina

A. G. Desmarest, 1819

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

viverrina

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MNHN (number not known)

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

297

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/19504164

Authority publication

Nouveau Dictionnaire d'Histoire Naturelle

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Suricata Marjoriae

Bradfield, 1936

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

marjoriae

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

131

Authority publication

The Auk

Ichneumon tetradactylus

(Daudin, 1802)

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

tetradactylus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

155

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42033405

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Daudin (1802:155, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42033405) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/64044)

Rysæna capensis

(Lesson, 1827)

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

capensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

178

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207646

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Lesson (1827:178, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207646) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)

Ryzaena tetradactyla

(C. F. Cuvier, 1842)

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

tetradactyla

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

3

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44518526

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Cuvier (1842:3, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44518526) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/60227)

Ryzæna tetradactila

(C. H. Smith, 1842)

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

tetradactila

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

156

Authority publication

Edinburgh

Name usages

Smith (1842:156) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67141)

Ryzœna tetradactyla

(Lesson, 1842)

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

tetradactyla

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

64

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Lesson (1842:64) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Suricatta tetradactylus

A. Roberts, 1913

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

tetradactylus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

77

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50439535

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Roberts (1913:77, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50439535) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/17656)

Suricata suricatta marjoriae

Coetzee, 1971

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

marjoriae

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

23

Authority publication

Washington

Name usages

  1. Coetzee (1971:23) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67173)
  2. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)
  3. Wilson & Mittermeier (2009:323) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67177)

Suricata suricatta

Coetzee, 1971

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

suricatta

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

23

Authority publication

Washington

Name usages

  1. Coetzee (1971:23) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67173)
  2. Corbet & Hill (1980:101) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  3. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:276) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  4. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)
  5. Wilson & Mittermeier (2009:323) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67177)
  6. Kingdon & Hoffman (2013:347) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/27643)
  7. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #41624) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  8. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #41624) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  9. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006070) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  10. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/41624/45209377) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Suricata suricatta suricatta

Coetzee, 1971

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

suricatta

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

23

Authority publication

Washington

Name usages

  1. Coetzee (1971:23) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67173)
  2. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)
  3. Wilson & Mittermeier (2009:323) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67177)

Viverra suricatta

(von Schreber, 1776)

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

suricatta

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

pl. 117

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31064692

Authority publication

Die Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur

Name usages

Erxleben (1777:488, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15873285) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36060)

Viverra tetradactyla

(von Schreber, 1777)

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

tetradactyla

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Authority page

434

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42529142

Authority publication

Die Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur

Name usages

  1. Thunberg (1811:305, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11767799) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/64194)
  2. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Mus zenik

(Scopoli, 1786)

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

zenik

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

84

Authority publication

book

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Viverra Surikatta

(G. K. Shaw, 1800)

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

surikatta

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

384

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/19632472

Authority publication

London

Viverra Zenic

(G. K. Shaw, 1800)

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

zenic

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

383

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/19632471

Authority publication

London

Suricata capensis

A. G. Desmarest, 1804

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

capensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

15

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/57784618

Authority publication

Nouveau Dictionnaire d'Histoire Naturelle

Name usages

  1. Fischer (1814:xi, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130072) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12226)
  2. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Ryzaena suraktta

(A. Smith, 1826)

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

suraktta

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

32

Authority publication

Cape Town

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Ryzaena typicus

(A. Smith, 1834)

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

typica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

117

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15968233

Authority publication

South African Quarterly Journal

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Suricata zenick

J. E. Gray, 1865

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

zenick

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

578

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28500911

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Suricata suricatta iona

Cabral, 1971

Family

Herpestidae

Root name

iona

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

65

Authority publication

Instituto de Investigação Cientifica de Angola

Name usages

  1. Coetzee (1971:23) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67173)
  2. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)
  3. Wilson & Mittermeier (2009:323) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67177)

Please send any edits, corrections, or unfilled data (including full citations) to mammaldiversity [at] gmail [dot] com.