bears, red panda and raccoons

Ursidae	Ursinae	Helarctos	malayanus	Ursidae	Ursinae	Helarctos	malayanus	Sun bear	Southeast Asia
Ursidae		Melursus	ursinus			Melursus	ursinus	Sloth bear	Indian subcontinent
Ursidae		Euarctos	americanus	1993		Ursus	americanus	American black bear	North America
Ursidae		Ursus	arctos			Ursus	arctos	Brown bear	Northwestern America, Eurasia
			horribilis	1963			a. horribilis	Grizzly bear	Northwestern America
			middendorffi	1963			a. middendorffi	Kodiak bear	Kodiak Archipelago in southwest Alaska
Ursidae		Thal(ass)arctos	maritimus	1970s		Ursus	maritimus	Polar bear	Arctic
Ursidae		Selenarctos	thibetanus	1990s		Ursus	thibetanus	Asian black bear	Southeastern Iran to Japan, Southeast Asia
Ursidae	Tremarctinae	Tremarctos	ornatus		Tremarctinae	Tremarctos	ornatus	Spectacled bear	Andes Mountains
Procyonidae	Ailuropodinae	Ailuropoda	melanoleuca	1985 Ursidae	Ailuropodinae	Ailuropoda	melanoleuca	Giant panda	Temperate forests of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu
				---------------------	-------------------	---------------	--------------------	------------------------------
Procyonidae		Ailurus	fulgens	1990s Ailuridae		Ailurus	fulgens	Red panda	Forests of Nepal to northwestern Yunnan
				2020 separated			styani	Chinese red panda	Temperate forests of Sichuan, Yunnan and SE Tibet
				---------------------	-------------------	---------------	--------------------	------------------------------
Procyonidae	Procyoninae	Procyon	lotor	Procyonidae	Procyoninae	Procyon	lotor	Common raccoon	Canada to Panama, intro: Europe, Caucasus, Japan
			cancrivorus				cancrivorus	Crab eating raccoon	Costa Rica down to Uruguay
				2000s separated			pygmaeus	Cozumel raccoon	Cozumel island off the eastern coast of Mexico
Procyonidae		Bassariscus	astutus			Bassariscus	astutus	Ringtail	Arid regions of United States, Mexico
			sumichrasti				sumichrasti	Cacomistle	from southern México to western Panama
Procyonidae		Nasua	narica			Nasua	narica	White-nosed coati	from Arizona to northwestern Colombia
			nasua				nasua	South American coati	from Colombia and the Guianas south to Uruguay
Procyonidae		Nasuella	olivacea	2020s		Nasua	olivacea	Mountain coati	Andes of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela
Procyonidae		Potos	flavus		Potosinae	Potos	flavus	Kinkajou	Tropical forests from Mexico to South America
Procyonidae		Bassaricyon	gabbii			Bassaricyon	gabbii	Northern olingo	from Nicaragua through Costa Rica into Panama
				2013 separated			medius	Western lowland olingo	Panama, Colombia and Ecuador west of the Andes
				2013 discovered			neblina	Olinguito	Forests in the Andes of Colombia and Ecuador
			alleni				alleni	Eastern lowland olingo	Lowlands east of the Andes down to Bolivia

Arctoidea (Pinnipedia added in the late 1980s)

The red panda (small cat bear in Chinese) was initially classified within Procyonidae. Because early observers assumed the giant panda (big cat bear in Chinese) and red panda were close relatives due to similar dietary habits and appearance, the giant panda was grouped into the same family (Grzimek placed both in Ailuridae, cat bears, in the 1970s). Starting in the late 20th century, and supported by extensive genetic research, studies began to show that these similarities were likely due to convergent evolution rather than a direct, close relationship. Modern studies now place the red panda in its own family, Ailuridae, red panda, within the broader Musteloidea superfamily, which includes Mustelidae (weasels) and Procyonidae (raccoons).

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April, 2026