There is much disagreement about the placement of Madagascar's carnivores, including the ring-tailed vontsira, within the phylogenetic tree.

A 2003 study reported evidence that the Malagasy Carnivora evolved from a single herpestid ancestor.

[5] The ring-tailed vontsira is relatively small but is the largest member of the subfamily Galidiinae.

Their diet is mostly of small mammals, invertebrates, fish, reptiles, birds and eggs, but they occasionally eat insects and fruit.

[6] The population of ring-tailed vontsira has decreased by 20% during the period 1989-1999 due to habitat loss.