Sub Species of Cat
The cats, or the Family Felidae, belong to the Order Carnivora - the carnivores. There are currently 36 different species of wild cats and most of these are further divided into subspecies.
While the classification of many cat species is controvertial, their division into subspecies is even more so. Many classical subspecies were defined on a geographiphical and morphological basis taking into account such factors as coat patterns. Eg, over 20 subspecies of leopard are recognised including: Panthera pardus japonensis (the Northern Chinese Leopard); Panthera pardus orientalis (the Amur Leopard); and Panthera pardus pardus (the African Leopard).There is now wide agreement that many subspecies are probably not valid and it has been suggested that all African leopards may belong to a single subspecies. In 1996 the Felid Taxon Action Group recommended that no less than 235 out of ther 259 recognised subspecies be re-evaluated.
The Cat Specialist Group have commented 'With regard to subspecies, there is considerable debate on definition, and even whether the traditional taxonomic concept is valid in the light of contempory knowledge of population biology and genetics. It is generally agreed that too many subspecies of cats have been described in the past on the basis of very slim evidence.'
In 1996, the Cat Specialist Group also stated 'There is general agreement that most clasically described cat subspecies are not valid, but little progess has been made in re-defining species using modern molecular analysis including genetic analysis.'
In 2000, following such an analysis, O'Brien has suggested that the number of subspecies of puma Puma concolor be reduced from 32 to six.
A list of classical subspecies is included below. It should be noted that the number of subspecies depends upon the authority consulted and there is a great deal of disagreement amongst experts who may be either 'lumpers" or "splitters". The following list should be regarded merely as as the best and most up-to-date guideline which we have been able to compile and is by no means as authoratative nor definitive.
| Species of Cat | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Subfamily Acinonyxchinae - Cheetah | |||
| Genus | Species | Subspecies | English name |
| Acinonyx | Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus |
A. j. jubatus | South African Cheetah |
| A. j. hecki | Cheetah | ||
| A. j. ngorongorensis | Cheetah | ||
| A. j. raineyi | East African Cheetah | ||
| A. j. soemmeringii | Cheetah | ||
| A. j. venaticus | Asiatic Cheetah The Mogul Emperor of India, Akbar kept 1,000 only 50 - 100 now remain, in Iran | ||
| Subfamily Pantherinae - Big Cats | |||
| Genus | Species | Subspecies | English name |
| Neofelis | Clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa |
N. n. nebulosa | Clouded leopard |
| N. n. brachyurus | Clouded leopard | ||
| N. n. diardii | Clouded leopard | ||
| N. n. macrosceloides | Clouded leopard | ||
| Panthera | Lion Panthera leo |
P. l. leo | Barbary Lion Extinct in wild in 1920, but possibly some in zoos |
| P. l. bleyenberghi | Angola Lion | ||
| P. l. krugeri | Transvaal or South African Lion | ||
| P. l. massaicus | Masai Lion | ||
| P. l. melanochaita | Cape lion Extinct 1850, may be some in zoos | ||
| P. l. persica | Asiatic Lion 300 in wild | ||
| P. l. senegalensis | Senegalese Lion | ||
| Jaguar Panthera onca |
P. o. onca | Jaguar | |
| P. o. arizonensis | Jaguar | ||
| P. o. centralis | Jaguar | ||
| P. o. goldmani | Jaguar | ||
| P. o. hernandesii | Jaguar | ||
| P. o. palustris | Jaguar | ||
| P. o. peruvianus | Jaguar | ||
| P. o. veracucis | Jaguar | ||
| Leopard Panthera pardus |
P. p. pardus | African Leopard | |
| P. p. adersi | Zanzibar Leopard probably extinct | ||
| P. p. antinorii | Leopard | ||
| P. p. ciscaucasia | Leopard | ||
| P. p. dathei | Leopards from Armenia. validity 'dubious' | ||
| P. p. delacouri | Leopard | ||
| P. p. ehui | Leopard | ||
| P. p. felis | Leopard | ||
| P. p. fusca | Leopard | ||
| P. p. ituriensis | Leopard | ||
| P. p. japonesis | Chinese Leopard wild population unknown 80 in captivity | ||
| P. p. jarvisi | Leopard | ||
| P. p. kotiya | Sri Lankan Leopard 400 - 600 in early 1980s | ||
| P. p. melanotica | Leopard | ||
| P. p. melas | Leopard | ||
| P. p. millardi | Leopard | ||
| P. p. nanopardus | Leopard | ||
| P. p. nimr | Arabian Leopard | ||
| P. p. orientalis | Amur Leopard about 40 in wild, over 200 in captivity | ||
| P. p. panthera | Leopard | ||
| P. p. pernigra | Leopard | ||
| P. p. saxicolor | North Persian Leopard 70 in Turkmenia, also found in Iran and Afganistan, 160 in captivity | ||
| P. p. shortridgei | Leopard | ||
| P. p. sindica | Leopard | ||
| P. p. suahelica | Leopard | ||
| P. p. tulliana | Leopard | ||
| Tiger Panthera tigris |
P. t. altaica | Amur tiger, previosly known as the Siberian and also as the the Manchurian, Ussuri or North-east China tiger 350 - 400 in wild, 514 in captivity | |
| P. t. amoyensis | South China (Amoy) Tiger only 20 - 30 exist in the wild, 53 in captivity | ||
| P. t. balica | Bali Tiger Extinct - one killed in 1937 with some reports in 1940s | ||
| P. t. corbetti | Indo-Chinese Tiger 1,200 - 1,800 remain in wild, 30 in captivity | ||
| P. t. sondaica | Javan Tiger Extinct - Last seen in 1972 | ||
| P. t. sumatrae | Sumatran Tiger 400 - 500 exist in the wild, 247 in captivity | ||
| P. t. tigris | Bengal or Indian Tiger 3,100 - 4,800 in wild, 259 in captivity | ||
| P. t. virgata | Caspian (Hyrcanian or Turan) Tiger Became extinct in 1970s | ||
| Pardofelis | Marbled Cat Pardofelis marmorata (Felis marmorata) |
P. m. marmorata | Marbled cat |
| P. m. charltoni | Marbled cat | ||
| Uncia | Snow Leopard Uncia uncia (Panthera uncia) |
U. u. uncia | Snow leopard |
| Subfamily Felidae - Small and medium cats | |||
| Genus | Species | Subspecies | English name |
| Catopuma | Bornean bay cat Catopuma badia (Felis badia) |
C. b. badia | Bornean bay cat, Bornean Red Cat |
| Asian golden cat Catopuma temminckii (Felis temmincki) |
F. t. temmincki | Asian golden cat (Temminck's Golden Cat) | |
| F. t. dominicanorum | Asian golden cat | ||
| F. t. tristis | Fontainer's cat | ||
| Caracal | Caracal Caracal caracal (Felis caracal) |
C. c. caracal | Caracal |
| C. c. algira | Caracal | ||
| C. c. damarensis | Caracal | ||
| C. c. limpopoensis | Caracal | ||
| C. c. lucani | Caracal | ||
| C. c. michaelis | Caracal | ||
| C. c. nubicus | Caracal | ||
| C. c. poecilictis | Caracal | ||
| C. c. schmitzi | Caracal | ||
| Felis | Chinese mountain cat Felis bieti |
F. b. bieti | Chinese mountain cat |
| Jungle cat Felis chaus |
F. c. chaus | Jungle cat | |
| F. c. affinis | Jungle cat | ||
| F. c. fulvidina | Jungle cat | ||
| F. c. furax | Jungle cat | ||
| F. c. kelaarti | Jungle cat | ||
| F. c. kutas | Jungle cat | ||
| F. c. nilotica | Jungle cat | ||
| F. c. oxiana | Jungle cat | ||
| F. c. prateri | Jungle cat | ||
| Sand cat Felis margarita |
F. m. margarita | Sand cat | |
| F. m. airensis | Sand cat | ||
| F. m. meinertzhageni | Sand cat | ||
| F. m. hinobius | Sand cat | ||
| F. m. cheffeli | Sand cat | ||
| Black-footed cat Felis nigripes |
F. n. nigripes | Black-footed cat | |
| F. n. thomasi | Black-footed cat | ||
| Wildcat Felis silvestris (Includes Felis lybica and Felis catus) |
F. s. catus (Felis catus) |
Domestic cat | |
| F. s. silvestris | European wildcat | ||
| F. s. caucasia | Caucasian Wildcat | ||
| F. s. euxina | Wildcat | ||
| F. s. gordoni | Gordon's Cat | ||
| F. s. grampia | Scottish Wildcat | ||
| F. s. molisana | Wildcat | ||
| F. s. morea | Wildcat | ||
| F. s. tartesia | Wildcat | ||
| F. s. lybica (F. lybica lybica) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. brockmani (F. l. brockmani) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. cafra (F. l. cafra) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. caudata (F. l. caudata) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. chutuchta (F. l. chutuchta) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. foxi (F. l. foxi) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. griselda (F. l. griselda) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. iraki (F. l. iraki) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. issikulensis (F. l. issikulensis) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. kaslowi (F. l. kaslowi) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. matschiei (F. l. matschiei) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. murgabensis (F. l. murgabensis) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. nesterovi (F. l. nesterovi) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. ocreata (F. l. ocreata) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. ornata (F. l. ornata) |
Indian Desert or Steppe Wildcat | ||
| F. s. pyrrhus (F. l. pyrrhus) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. rubida (F. l. rubida) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. sarda (F. l. sarda) |
African wildcat | ||
| F. s. tristrami (F. l. tristrami) |
African wildcat in Israel hybridisation widespead, no pure bred tristrami found recently | ||
| F. s. vellerosa (F. l. vellerosa) |
African wildcat | ||
| Herpailurus | Jaguarundi Herpailurus yagouarundi (Felis yagouaroundi) |
H. y. yagouaroundi | Jaguarundi |
| H. y. ameghinoi | Jaguarundi | ||
| H. y. cacomitli | Jaguarundi | ||
| H. y. eyra | Jaguarundi | ||
| H. y. fossata | Jaguarundi | ||
| H. y. melantho | Jaguarundi | ||
| H. y. panamensis | Jaguarundi | ||
| H. y. tolteca | Jaguarundi | ||
| Leopardus | Ocelot Leopardus pardalis (Felis pardalis) |
L. p. pardalis | Ocelot |
| L. p. aequatorialis | Ocelot | ||
| L. p. albescens | Ocelot | ||
| L. p. maripensis | Ocelot | ||
| L. p. mearnsi | Ocelot | ||
| L. p. mitis | Ocelot | ||
| L. p. nelsoni | Ocelot | ||
| L. p. pseudopardalis | Ocelot | ||
| L. p. pusea | Ocelot | ||
| L. p. sonoriensis | Ocelot | ||
| L. p. steinbachi | Ocelot | ||
| Oncilla Leopardus tigrinus (Felis tigrina) |
L. t. tigrinus | Oncilla (American Tiger Cat, Little spotted cat) | |
| L. t. guttula | Oncilla (American Tiger Cat, Little spotted cat) | ||
| L. t. pardinoides | Oncilla (American Tiger Cat, Little spotted cat) | ||
| Margay Leopardus wiedii (Felis wieldi) |
L. w. wieldi | Margay | |
| L. w. amazonica | Margay | ||
| L. w. boliviae | Margay | ||
| L. w. cooperi | Margay | ||
| L. w. glaucula | Margay | ||
| L. w. nicaraguae | Margay | ||
| L. w. oaxacensis | Margay | ||
| L. w. pirrensis | Margay | ||
| L. w. salvinis | Margay | ||
| L. w. yucatanica | Margay | ||
| Leptailurus | Serval Leptailurus serval (Felis serval) |
L. s. serval | Serval |
| L. s. beirae | Serval | ||
| L. s. brachyura | Serval | ||
| L. s. constantina | Serval | ||
| L. s. hamiltoni | Serval | ||
| L. s. hindeio | Serval | ||
| L. s. ngridi | Serval | ||
| L. s. kempi | Serval | ||
| L. s. kivuensis | Serval | ||
| L. s. ipostica | Serval | ||
| L. s. onnbergi | Serval | ||
| L. s. mababiensis | Serval | ||
| L. s. robertsi | Serval | ||
| L. s. togoensis | Serval | ||
| Lynx | Canadian lynx Lynx canadensis (Felis lynx) |
L. c. canadensis | Canadian lynx |
| Eurasian Lynx Lynx lynx (Felis lynx) |
L. l. lynx | Eurasian lynx | |
| L. l. asabellina | Eurasian lynx | ||
| L. l. dinniki | Eurasian lynx | ||
| L. l. kozlowi | Eurasian lynx | ||
| L. l. sardiniae | Eurasian lynx | ||
| L. l. stroganovi | Eurasian lynx | ||
| L. l. subsolanus | Eurasian lynx | ||
| L. l. wrangelli | Eurasian lynx | ||
| Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus (Felis lynx) |
L. p. pardinus | Iberian lynx, (Spanish Lynx) 600 in wild | |
| Lynx rufus (Felis rufus) |
L. r. rufus | Bobcat | |
| L. r. baileyi | Bobcat | ||
| L. r. californicus | Bobcat | ||
| L. r. escuinapae | Bobcat | ||
| L. r. fasciatus | Bobcat | ||
| L. r. floridianus | Bobcat | ||
| L. r. gigas | Bobcat | ||
| L. r. pallescens | Bobcat | ||
| L. r. peninsularis | Bobcat | ||
| L. r. superiorensis | Bobcat | ||
| L. r. texensis | Bobcat | ||
| L. r. uinta | Bobcat | ||
| Oncifelis | Pampas cat Oncifelis colocolo (Felis colocolo) |
F. c. colocolo | Pampas cat |
| O. c. braccata | Pampas cat | ||
| O. c. budini | Pampas cat | ||
| O. c. crespoi | Pampas cat | ||
| O. c. garleppi | Pampas cat | ||
| O. c. pajeros | Pampas cat | ||
| O. c. thomasi | Pampas cat | ||
| Geoffroy's cat Oncifelis geoffroyi (Felis geoffroyi) |
0. g. geoffroyi | Geoffroy's cat | |
| 0. g. euxantha | Geoffroy's cat | ||
| 0. g. leucobapta | Geoffroy's cat | ||
| 0. g. paraguayae | Geoffroy's cat | ||
| 0. g. salinarum | Geoffroy's cat | ||
| Kodkod Oncifelis guigna (Felis guigna) |
0. g. guigna | Kodkod or Guigna | |
| 0. g. tigrillo | Kodkod | ||
| Oreailurus | Andean mountain cat Oreailurus jacobitus (Felis jacobita) |
O. j. jacobitus | Andean mountain cat |
| Otocolobus | Pallas cat Otocolobus manul (Felis manul) |
O. m. manul | Pallas cat |
| Prionailurus | Leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis (Felis bengalensis and F. iriomotensis) |
P. b. bengalensis | Leopard cat |
| P. b. borneoensis | Leopard cat | ||
| P. b. chinensis | Leopard cat | ||
| P. b. euptailura | Leopard cat | ||
| P. b. horsfieldi | Leopard cat | ||
| P. b. manchurica | Leopard cat | ||
| P. b. trevelyani | Leopard cat | ||
| P. b. javaensis | Leopard cat | ||
| P. b. minutus | Leopard cat | ||
| P. b. sumatranus | Leopard cat | ||
| P. b. iriomotensis (Mayailurus iriomotensis) |
Iriomote Cat | ||
| Flat-headed cat Prionailurus planiceps (Felis planiceps) |
P. p. planiceps | Flat-headed cat (Little Malayan red cat) | |
| Rusty-spotted cat Prionailurus rubiginosus (Felis rubiginosus) |
P. r. rubiginosus | Rusty-spotted cat | |
| P. r. phillipsi | Rusty-spotted cat | ||
| Prionailurus viverrinus (Felis viverrina) |
P. v. viverrinus | Fishing Cat | |
| Profelis | African golden cat Profelis aurata (Felis aurata) |
P. a. aurata | African golden cat |
| P. a. celidogaster | African golden cat | ||
| P. a. cottoni | African golden cat | ||
Genus Puma, Species Puma concolor (previously Felis concolor), the Puma, mountain lion or cougar
Some 32 subspecies of puma have been described based on geographic and morphogenetic criteria. In 2000 it was proposed that the number of subspecies be reduced to six.
Culver,M., Johnson,W.E., Pecon-Slattery,J. & O'Brien,S.J. (2000).Genomic ancestry of the American puma (Puma concolor).
Journal of Heredity 91: 186-197.
| Proposed subspecies | Old subspecies | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Latin name | Common name | Latin name | Common name |
| P. c. costaricensis | Central American Puma (endangered) | P. c. costaricensis | Puma (endangered) |
| P. c. capricornensis | Eastern South American Puma | P. c. acrodia | Puma |
| P. c. borbensis | Puma | ||
| P. c. capricornensis | Puma | ||
| P. c. greeni | Puma | ||
| P. c. cabrerae | Central South American Puma | P. c. cabrerae | Puma |
| P. c. hudsoni | Puma | ||
| P. c. puma | Southern South American Puma | P. c. araucana | Puma |
| P. c. pearsoni | Puma | ||
| P. c. patagonica | Puma | ||
| P. c. puma | Puma | ||
| P. c. concolor | Northern South American Puma | P. c. anthonyi | Puma |
| P. c. concolor | Puma | ||
| P. c. bangsi | Puma | ||
| P. c. incarum | Puma | ||
| P. c. osgoodi | Puma | ||
| P. c. soderstromi | Puma | ||
| P. c. cougar | North American Puma | P. c. azteca | Puma |
| P. c. browni | Puma (endangered) | ||
| P. c. californica | Californian Mountain Lion | ||
| P. c. coryi | Florida Panther | ||
| P. c. cougar | Eastern Cougar (presumed extinct) | ||
| P. c. hippolestes | Puma | ||
| P. c. improcera | Puma | ||
| P. c. kaibabensis | Puma | ||
| P. c. mayensis | Puma | ||
| P. c. missoulensis | Puma | ||
| P. c. olympus | Puma | ||
| P. c. oregonensis | Puma | ||
| P. c. schorgeri | Wisconsin Puma (presumed extinct) | ||
| P. c. stanleyana | Texas Puma | ||
| P. c. vancouverensis | Puma | ||
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