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Coloration is variable, but generally the upper parts are speckled brown to grayish.
The lower parts are only slightly paler, and the tail and lower parts of the legs are dark. In some individuals there is a rufous patch on the throat and breast, and the basal portion of the lower side of the tail is reddish brown. Other individuals are entirely black. Dwarf mongooses are found in savannahs, woodlands, brush country, and mountain scrub, from sea level to elevations of about 1,800 meters. They are mainly terrestrial and diurnal.