Scientists name a new cat species for the first time in over a century
The South American tiger cat is not one species but five distinct species, a new study finds.
For the first time in over a century, scientists have identified a new cat species in Bolivia. The newly discovered species, Leopardus tilcayo, is a small, spotted wild cat that inhabits the Yungas cloud forest region. The analysis also revealed a subspecies of another tiger cat species, Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo, which lives in Peru.
This discovery comes after a long-standing debate about the cat family tree. Previously, the northern tiger cat (Leopardus tigrinus) was considered a single species, but genetic analysis has now revealed that it is actually five distinct species. The newly identified L. tilcayo is smaller than a house cat and weighs between 3 to 4 pounds (1.5 to 2 kilograms), with a tail that adds another 10 inches (25 cm). The species' name, L. tilcayo, is derived from the local name for the cat.
Written by urgent.news from Live Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
