Procyon (genus)

Procyon (genus)

Procyon cancrivorus
Procyon lotor
Procyon pygmaeus
†Procyon rexroadensis

Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon (P. lotor), is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are considerably lesser-known. Genetic studies have shown that the closest relatives of the raccoon are the ring-tailed cats, coatis and cacomistles.