A 2006 molecular analysis indicates that it is phylogenetically the most basal of the four extant hyaenidae species.
ɐ tˈuː θˈaʊzənd sˈɪks məlˈɛkjʊlɚɹ ɐnˈæləsˌɪs ˈɪndᵻkˌeɪts ðˌɐɾɪt ɪz fˌaɪloʊdʒnˈɛɾɪkli ðə mˈoʊst bˈeɪsəl ʌvðə fˈoːɹ ɛkstˈænt hˈaɪiːnˌɪdiː spˈiːsiːz.