Helogale


Helogale is a genus of the mongoose family. It consists of two species and 12 subspecies:

Extant Species

ImageScientific nameCommon NameSubspeciesDistribution
Helogale hirtulaEthiopian dwarf mongoose
  • H. hirtula hirtula
  • H. hirtula ahlselli
  • H. hirtula annulata
  • H. hirtula lutescens
  • H. hirtula powelli
eastern Africa, particularly Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.
Helogale parvulaCommon dwarf mongoose
  • H. parvula parvula
  • H. parvula ivori
  • H. parvula mimetra
  • H. parvula nero
  • H. parvula ruficeps
  • H. parvula undulatus
  • H. parvula varia
    		• East to southern Central Africa, from Eritrea and Ethiopia to the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in the Republic of South Africa.
    The helogales are the smallest species of mongooses and both are endemic to Africa. The distribution of the Ethiopian dwarf mongoose is more tropical, and overlaps completely with that of the common dwarf mongoose, which is more widespread. Both are social diurnal species, and due to their small sizes they are vulnerable to predation. Both species live independently of open water.