<P> Procyonidae is a New World family of the order Carnivora . It includes the raccoons, coatis, kinkajous, olingos, olinguitos, ringtails and cacomistles . Procyonids inhabit a wide range of environments and are generally omnivorous . </P> <P> Procyonids are relatively small animals, with generally slender bodies and long tails (though the common raccoon tends to be bulky). Many procyonids have banded tails, and distinctive facial markings--these are especially visible in the raccoons . Like bears, procyonids are plantigrade, walking on the soles of their feet . Most species have non-retractile claws . </P> <P> Because of their general build, the Procyonidae are often popularly viewed as smaller cousins of the bear family . This is apparent in their German names: a raccoon is called a Waschbär (washing bear, as he "washes" his food before eating), a coati is a Nasenbär (nose - bear), while a kinkajou is a Honigbär (honey - bear). Dutch follows suit, calling the animals wasbeer, neusbeer and rolstaartbeer respectively . However, it is now believed that procyonids are more closely related to mustelids than to bears . </P> <P> Due to their omnivorous diet, procyonids have lost some of the adaptations for flesh - eating found in their carnivorous relatives . While they do have carnassial teeth, these are poorly developed in most species, especially the raccoons . Apart from the kinkajou, procyonids have the dental formula: </P>

Is a raccoon a member of the bear family