Procyonidae

Procyonids Temporal range: 20–0 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N Early Miocene to Holocene
Common raccoon
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Caniformia
Superfamily:	Musteloidea
Family:	Procyonidae Gray, 1825
Genera
†Angustictis Bassariscus †Probassariscus †Edaphocyon †Arctonasua †Cyonasua †Amphinasua †Chapalmalania †Protoprocyon †Paranasua Procyon Nasua Nasuella †Bassaricynoides †Parapotos Bassaricyon Potos

†Angustictis
Bassariscus
†Probassariscus
†Edaphocyon
†Arctonasua
†Cyonasua
†Amphinasua
†Chapalmalania
†Protoprocyon
†Paranasua
Procyon
Nasua
Nasuella
†Bassaricynoides
†Parapotos
Bassaricyon
Potos

Procyonidae is a New World family of the order Carnivora. It includes the raccoons, coatis, kinkajous, olingos, olinguitos, ringtails and cacomistles. Procyonids inhabit a wide range of environments and are generally omnivorous.

Procyonids are relatively small animals, with generally slender bodies and long tails (though the common raccoon tends to be bulky). Many procyonids have banded tails, and distinctive facial markings – these are especially visible in the raccoons. Like bears, procyonids are plantigrade, walking on the soles of their feet. Most species have non-retractile claws.

Because of their general build, the Procyonidae are often popularly viewed as smaller cousins of the bear family. This is apparent in their German names: a raccoon is called a Waschbär (washing bear, as he "washes" his food before eating), a coati is a Nasenbär (nose-bear) while a kinkajou is a Honigbär (honey-bear). Dutch follows suit, calling the animals wasbeer, neusbeer and rolstaartbeer respectively. However, it is now believed that procyonids are more closely related to mustelids than to bears.

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Wikipedia