Gaubert Philippe auteur aut IRD Chalubert A. auteur aut IRD Dubus G. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng We built an interactive identification key (IIK) to provide a user-friendly tool for the problematic identification of the Genettinae species (Genetta spp. and Poiana spp.) using Xper(2), a knowledge platform dedicated to taxonomic description and identification. A total of 45 qualitative characters were described after the observation of > 4500 specimens, representing 19 species. Assessing among-species discrimination efficiency per character partition and character, we were able to establish a list of 13 characters from skull and coat likely to optimize species identification among Genettinae. Genetta maculata and G. "letabae", which belong to the large-spotted genet complex, was the only species pair that could not be distinguished. The IIK of Genettinae we propose herein (http://lis.snv.jussieu.fr/apps/xper/data/genettes/web/) may be used to assist regular-basis update of distribution ranges, a needed effort for several poorly known species of high conservation concern. specialized 080 1717 39-50 2008 1175-5326 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/PAR00002186 1175-5326 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/PAR00002186 IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2008-03-31 2017-08-23 PAR00002186 fre