Vishnuictis

Vishnuictis Temporal range: Miocene–Pleistocene, 16.0–1.6  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Feliformia
Family:	Viverridae
Subfamily:	Viverrinae
Genus:	† Vishnuictis Pilgrim, 1932
Type species
†Vishnuictis durandi Pilgrim, 1932
Species [1] [2] [3]
†V. africanaMorals & Pickford, 2008 †V. chinjiensis †V. hariensisPrasad, 1968 †V. hasnoti(Pilgrim, 1932) †V. hinduiensisPilgrim, 1932 †V. plectilodousSankhyan et al., 2025 †V. salmontanusPilgrim, 1932 †V. yuanmouensis
Synonyms
Vishnuictis chinjiensis Viverra ? chinjiensisPilgrim, 1932 Vishnuictis durandi Viverra ? durandiLydekker, 1884

Vishnuictis is an extinct genus of viverrid known from the Middle Miocene to Pleistocene of India, Pakistan, China, and Kenya. It is named after Vishnu, one of the primary Hindu deities, with the Greek word ἴκτις (ίktis) "marten".

Distribution

The oldest known fossil record of Vishnuictis is V. africana (named after the continent of Africa) from the Muruyur Formation of Kenya, which date to the Middle Miocene. In Asia, V. salmontanus has been reported from the Dhok Pathan Formation and the Yuanmou Formation (China). V. plectilodous (India) and V. hasnoti (Pakistan) are also known from Dhok Pathan Formation outcrops. V. hariensis is known from Late Miocene Nagri Formation (India). V.? chinjiensis is reported from the Middle Miocene Chinji Formation of both India and Pakistan and is the oldest known Asian species of the genus. The species V.? durandi and V. hinduensis have been reported from the Pliocene to Pleistocene Pinjor Formation (India).

References

1. Pilgrim, G. (1932). "The fossil Carnivora of India". Palaeontologia Indica, Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India. 18: 206–209.
2. Dong, Wei; Liu, Jianhui; Pan, Yuerong (2003). "A new Euproxfrom the Late Miocene of Yuanmou, Yunnan Province, China, with interpretation of its paleoenvironment". Chinese Science Bulletin. 48 (5): 485. Bibcode:2003ChSBu..48..485D. doi:10.1007/BF03183257.
3. Sankhyan, Anek Ram; Abbas, Sayyed Ghyour; Jasinski, Steven E.; Khan, Muhammad Akbar; Mahmood, Khalid (2025-03-22). "Rare carnivorous mammals from a diverse fossil assemblage from the Middle Siwaliks of Haritalyangar area, Himachal Pradesh, North India". Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 32 (2): 14. doi: 10.1007/s10914-025-09749-4 . ISSN   1573-7055.

General references

• Morales, Jorge; Pickford, Martin (2008). "Creodonts and carnivores from the Middle Miocene Muruyur Formation, Kipsaraman and Cheparawa, Baringo District, Kenya". Comptes Rendus Palevol. 7 (8): 487. Bibcode:2008CRPal...7..487M. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2008.09.011.
• R., Carroll (1998). "R. L. Carroll. 1988. Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution" (PDF). Sivalik Hills Fauna. doi:10.2307/3514548. JSTOR   3514548. S2CID   86406076.</ref><ref>R. L. Werdelin, S. Peigne; W. J6., Sander (2010). "R. L. Werdelin and S. Peigne. 2010. Carnivora. In L. Werdelin, W. J. Sanders (eds.), Cenozoic Mammals of Africa 603-657". Cenozoic Mammals of Africa.
• Dong, Wei; Qi, Guoqi (2013). "Hominoid-Producing Localities and Biostratigraphy in Yunnan". Fossil Mammals of Asia-Neogene Biostratigraphy and Chronology: 293–313. doi:10.7312/columbia/9780231150125.003.0011. ISBN   978-0-231-15012-5.