Civet (perfumery)

Civet (Zibeth; Zibet; Zibetum), also known as civet musk, is the glandular secretion produced by both sexes of the civet cat (Viverridae).

Production

A number of species of civet, Civettictis civetta of Ethiopia, and Viverra zibetha and Viverricula indica of India, Malaya, Indochina, and Indonesia, can yield civet oil. Most civet is however produced by civet farms in Africa, where the secreted oil is taken from the pouches of caged animals once a week. African civets typically produce three to four grams of civet each week. In 2000, civet sold for about five hundred dollars per kilogram.

Civet is a soft, almost liquid material. It is pale yellow when fresh, darkening in the light and becoming salve-like in consistency. Its odor is strong, even putrid as a pure substance, but once diluted it is pleasantly and sweetly aromatic. It is prepared for use in perfumery by solvent extraction to yield either a tincture (10 or 20 percent), an absolute, or a resinoid.

Composition

The chemical in civet oil that gives it most of its distinctive odor is civetone, at a concentration of between 2.5 and 3.4 percent. The oil also includes various other ketones such as cyclopentadecanone, cyclohexadecanone, cycloheptadecanone, and 6-cis-cycloheptadecenone. The animal scent is reinforced by the presence of smaller amounts of indole and skatole, which in African civet are present at a concentration of about 1 percent.

Civet

A civet /ˈsɪvᵻt/ is a small, lithe-bodied, mostly nocturnal mammal native to tropical Asia and Africa, especially the tropical forests. The term civet applies to over a dozen different mammal species. Most of the species diversity is found in southeast Asia. The best-known civet species is the African civet, Civettictis civetta, which historically has been the main species from which was obtained a musky scent used in perfumery. The word civet may also refer to the distinctive musky scent produced by the animals.

A minority of writers use the name civet to cover Civettictis, Viverra and Viverricula civets. But in more common usage in English the name also covers Chrotogale, Cynogale, Diplogale, Hemigalus, Arctogalidia, Macrogalidia, Paguma, and Paradoxurus civets.

Taxonomy

The common name is used for a variety of carnivorous mammalian species, mostly of the family Viverridae. The African palm civet (Nandinia binotata) is genetically distinct and belongs in its own monotypic family, Nandiniidae.

Civet (band)

Civet is an American all-female punk rock band from Long Beach, California. They are signed to Hellcat Records and have recorded six releases, with the latest being Love & War (2011).

History

The self-described "femme fatale punk rock" band made a breakthrough after signing with Hellcat Records and releasing their first album under this label with the title Hell Hath No Fury.

In an interview the lead singer Liza Graves said, that the name does not only represent the animal civet, but was used after they heard it means flower in Slavic languages.

In a November 2008 interview, Liza Graves announced that the band had a new line up. The previous rhythm section, consisting of Jackie Daniels on bass and Bombshell Brenz (Brenna Red) on drums, had been replaced by Jacqui Valentine (bass) and Cat Scandal (drums) who was later replaced by Danni Harrowyn

There was no announcement when drummer Danni Harrowyn was replaced with Roxie Darling.

In November 2010, the band's rhythm section, Jacqui Valentine and Roxie Darling, quit the band during a tour opening for Nashville Pussy. The band finished the tour with friends filling in for the departing musicians. Roxie Darling posted a statement about the departure on her Facebook page.

Civet (disambiguation)

A civet is small, mostly arboreal mammal native to the tropics of Africa and Asia.

The term may also refer to: