Researchers have formally described *Leopardus tilcayo*, a…
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Researchers have formally described *Leopardus tilcayo*, a small wild cat from Bolivia’s Yungas cloud forests, as a distinct species. 🐈
The cat, known locally as the tilcayo, was differentiated from similar tiger cats through genomic analysis. The study compared complete genomes from 38 *Leopardus* individuals and estimated that the Bolivian lineage diverged about 1.4 million years ago.
The recognition revises the tiger-cat picture: the researchers identified five genetically distinct species rather than one broadly distributed taxon. They also proposed a new tiger-cat subspecies in Peru’s Yungas.
Scientists still know little about the tilcayo’s life in the wild. Scat evidence suggests it eats small rodents, and camera-trap records suggest nocturnal activity, but its population size, full range and reproduction remain unknown. 🔬
The findings have been shared for an upcoming IUCN review. Assessing the lineages separately could change conservation evaluations, particularly as the Yungas faces pressure from deforestation, agricultural expansion, fires and mining.
https://nutanica.com/Leopardus_tilcayo
The cat, known locally as the tilcayo, was differentiated from similar tiger cats through genomic analysis. The study compared complete genomes from 38 *Leopardus* individuals and estimated that the Bolivian lineage diverged about 1.4 million years ago.
The recognition revises the tiger-cat picture: the researchers identified five genetically distinct species rather than one broadly distributed taxon. They also proposed a new tiger-cat subspecies in Peru’s Yungas.
Scientists still know little about the tilcayo’s life in the wild. Scat evidence suggests it eats small rodents, and camera-trap records suggest nocturnal activity, but its population size, full range and reproduction remain unknown. 🔬
The findings have been shared for an upcoming IUCN review. Assessing the lineages separately could change conservation evaluations, particularly as the Yungas faces pressure from deforestation, agricultural expansion, fires and mining.
https://nutanica.com/Leopardus_tilcayo
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