Head-body 76 cm; tail 37 cm; weight 6.6 kg.
A large terrestrial civet with spinal crest of erectile black hairs from shoulder
to rump, flanked by a longitudinal row of black spots. Coat greyish brown
with small indistinct dark spots on the foreparts down to legs. Flanks
adorned with large dark spots often fusing into stripes and bars. Neck with
pronounced black and white stripes. Tail ringed with 5-7 white bands, but
most of them do not circle the tail completely and black-tipped. Claws
semiretractile; sole naked, scantily haired between toes and foot pads. A
perineal scent gland occurs between the anus and genitalia.