How many species of cats are there? What is their distribution and current status?
The previously widespread classification of cats was 37 wild cat species plus the domestic cat.
In 2017,The IUCN Cat Specialist Group(IUCN SSC Cat specialist Group)Based on recent animal morphology, biogeography, and molecular biology research results, it revised the cat species and published it in the Cat News publication of the Cat Specialist Group.The changes during the revision are as follows:
1. Slight adjustments were made at the genus level:African golden cats were classified into the cheetah genus, the slender cats were separated from the golden cat genus and established as the slender cat genus.
2. Three independent species were added:Small cloud cats were divided into two species—North cloud cats and South cloud cats.Desert cats were divided into two species—European desert cats (European wildcats) and Asian desert cats.Leopards were divided into two species—Continental leopards andian leopards.
3. Some subspecies were merged:Tiger and lion subspecies were merged into two groups.Snow leopards, American leopards, and continental cloud leopards were consolidated into single species (without subspecies division).The Huaibei leopard was incorporated into the Far East leopard.Other cat species had subspecies changes.
The cat species totaled 38 species increased to 41 species, divided into 2 subfamilies, 8 genera, 41 species, 80 subspecies.
Below is a brief introduction to the 41 cat species according to their evolutionary history.
Cat subfamily-Cloud cat genus
The cloud cat genus is the oldest existing genus, with only two species. The cloud cat genus retains many primitive cat features, such as large block patterns, like clouds, so it is named ‘cloud cat’, and has a very large tooth ratio, called ‘small saber-toothed cat’.
1. Continental cloud leopard
The continental cloud leopard is the smallest cloud cat subspecies, weighs 10-25 kilograms, and is no more than 30 kilograms. The cloud cat lives in South Asia, Southeast Asia and western China, Warburton suggested that the cloud cat is probably related to the cloud cat.
2. Slender cat
Slender cat is a relatively recently separated genus, and has been shortly designated as a single species.
Cat subfamily-Leopard genusLeopard is the fastest running cat and the fastest land animal, it is also called 'cat king'.
The leopard weighs 50-110 kilograms, the maximum 125 kilograms, is an adaptable cat, and it is distributed from Canada to Patagonia, across 110 degrees latitude, the area is 2274 square kilometers.
Leopards are divided into three species.The cat subfamily-Rabbit cat genus
Rabbit cat is the largest cat genus, weighs up to 10 kilograms, and is distributed in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Java Island.
The cat subfamily-Domestic cat genus
Domestic cats were domesticated from cloud cats approximately 5000-10000 years ago in ancient Egypt or Mesopotamia, and have been spread all over the world with humans, now there are more than 600 million pet cats and stray cats worldwide, which is the most common pet.
All domestic cats and stray cats are counted as a single species, no matter it is big or small, fat or thin, black or white, what kind of breed it is.
This is a brief introduction to the 41 cat species according to their evolutionary history.“”700060%
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