Viverra species are distinguished externally from the other genera of the
Viverrinae by the structure of the fore feet: the third and fourth digits have lobes of skin, which act as protective sheaths for the retractile
claws. The pads of the feet are surrounded by hair. They have a long and narrow
skull, with narrow, nearly parallel-sided, not strongly constricted
waist. Their
postorbital processes are small and a little in front of the middle point between the tip of the
premaxillae in front and of the
occipital crest behind. The
sagittal crest is moderately strong in adults. The sub-orbital portion of the cheek is comparatively short. The
suture between the anterior bone of the
zygomatic arch and the maxilla is much shorter than the median length of the
nasals, than half the length of the cheek-teeth, and than the width across the
occipital condyles. This width exceeds the length of the compound
auditory bulla. ==Living species==