ɹˈiːsənt stˈʌdiz hæv sədʒˈɛstᵻd ðætðɪ ˈɑːɹdwʊlf pɹˈɑːbəbli daɪvˈɜːdʒd fɹʌm ˈʌðɚ hˈaɪiːnˌɪdz ˈɜːli ˈɔn; hˌaʊ ˈɜːli ɪz stˈɪl ʌŋklˈɪɹ, æz ðə fˈɑːsəl ɹˈɛkɚd ænd dʒɪnˈɛɾɪk stˈʌdiz dˌɪsɐɡɹˈiː baɪ tˈɛn mˈɪliən jˈɪɹz.
Recent studies have suggested that the aardwolf probably diverged from other hyaenids early on; how early is still unclear, as the fossil record and genetic studies disagree by 10 million years.