A small- to medium-sized, short-legged, long-bodied mammal (family Viverridae) found in the Old World tropics, where civets occupy the ecological position filled elsewhere by members of the weasel family. They are evolutionarily primitive members of the order Carnivora and much less specialized than cats or hyenas. Most species are nocturnal and, although classed as carnivores, they are omnivorous. There are 15 genera and about 38 species.