Which mammal family includes hyenas and aardwolves?

Which mammal family includes hyenas and aardwolves? The answer is Hyaenidae.

Hyaenidae is the mammal family containing the four living hyena species and the aardwolf. The family is part of the order Carnivora and the cat-like suborder Feliformia, so hyenas are more closely related to cats, mongooses, and civets than to dogs, despite their doglike appearance.

The aardwolf is the family’s most unusual living member. Unlike the larger spotted, brown, and striped hyenas, it feeds mainly on termites, using a long, sticky tongue to gather them. It was once placed in a separate family called Protelidae, but anatomical and genetic evidence supports its classification within Hyaenidae. It is the only living member of the subfamily Protelinae.

Hyenas are also commonly misunderstood as scavengers only. Spotted hyenas are powerful hunters and can kill much of the prey they consume. Their strong jaws and specialized teeth allow them to crush and digest bones, while their complex social systems make them among the most behaviorally sophisticated carnivores.