The genus Bassaricyon consists of small Neotropical procyonids, popularly known as olingos (/ɒˈlɪŋɡoʊz/), cousins of the raccoon.

[2] Olingos closely resemble another procyonid, the kinkajou, in morphology and habits, though they lack prehensile tails and extrudable tongues, have more extended muzzles, and possess anal scent glands.

A previously unrecognized olingo, similar to but distinct from B. alleni, was discovered in 2006 by Kristofer Helgen at Las Maquinas in the Andes of Ecuador.

[6] With data derived from anatomy, morphometrics, nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, field observations, and geographic range modeling, Helgen and coworkers demonstrated that four olingo species can be recognized:[2] Genetic studies have shown that the closest relatives of the olingos are actually the coatis;[2][3] the divergence between the two groups is estimated to have occurred about 10.2 million years (Ma) ago during the Tortonian age,[2] while kinkajous split off from the other extant procyonids about 22.6 Ma ago during the Aquitanian age.

[2] The dating and biogeography modeling suggest that the earliest diversification of the genus took place in northwestern South America shortly after the ancestors of olingos first invaded the continent from Central America as part of the Great American Interchange.