▁the ▁Gr andid ier ' s ▁mongo ose , ▁which ▁can ▁reach ▁a ▁weight ▁of ▁. ▁All ▁are ▁similar ▁in ▁general ▁form ▁to ▁mongo oses , ▁sharing ▁with ▁them ▁an ▁ag ile ▁body ▁supported ▁by ▁short ▁legs , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁long , ▁bush y ▁tail ▁and ▁a ▁flat , ▁long ▁c ran ium . ▁Each ▁of ▁the ▁four ▁gener a ▁has ▁a ▁distinct ive ▁color ▁pattern ▁reflected ▁in ▁its ▁common ▁name : ▁the ▁tail ▁of ▁the ▁ring - ta iled ▁mongo ose ▁is ▁ring ed ▁with ▁brown ▁and ▁black ▁bands ; ▁both ▁species ▁of ▁Gal id ict is ▁have ▁the ▁body ▁covered ▁with ▁broad ▁stri pes ; ▁the ▁narrow - strip ed ▁mongo ose ▁also ▁has ▁stri pes ▁over ▁the ▁body , ▁but ▁they ▁are ▁nar ro wer ▁and ▁less ▁consp ic uous ; ▁and ▁the ▁brown - ta iled ▁mongo ose ▁has ▁a ▁dark ▁brown ▁pel age ▁without ▁any ▁rings ▁or ▁stri pes . ▁Most ▁gal idi ines ▁share ▁a ▁dent al ▁formula ▁of ▁, ▁but ▁both ▁species ▁of ▁Sal ano ia ▁are ▁distinct ▁in ▁having ▁a ▁dent al ▁formula ▁of ▁. ▁ ▁E col ogy ▁and ▁behavior ▁Gal idi ines ▁are ▁generally ▁found ▁in ▁forest , ▁but ▁the ▁Gr andid ier ' s ▁and ▁narrow - strip ed ▁mongo oses ▁live ▁in ▁open ▁habit ats . ▁All ▁species ▁dig ▁bur rows ▁for ▁shelter , ▁and ▁several ▁species ▁may ▁also ▁use ▁tree ▁holes . ▁All ▁six ▁species ▁can ▁be ▁found ▁on ▁the ▁ground , ▁but ▁the ▁narrow - strip ed