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Males are generally larger than females.
The body is black with white dorsal stripes, the tail is more or less white, and the face has white markings. Ictonyx also bears some resemblance to the other African genera Poecilictis and Poecilogale but may be recognized by its color pattern, long hair, and bushy tail. The zorilla is found in a variety of habitats but avoids dense forest. It is mainly nocturnal, resting during the day in rock crevices or in burrows excavated by itself or some other animal. It occasionally shelters under buildings and in outhouses in farming areas.