Felidae

Felines^[1]
Fossil range: Eocene - Recent

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Felidae G. Fischer de Waldheim, 1817

Subfamilies

Felinae
Pantherinae
†Machairodontinae

The Felidae or cat family (also called felines) is a part of the order Carnivora within the mammals. It contains about 41 species including large animals such as the lion and the tiger, as well as smaller ones such as the bobcat and the domestic cat.

Characteristics

Like most other members of the Carnivora (carnivores), cats mainly get food by killing and eating other animals. They are more strictly carnivorous than most other carnivore families. The teeth of cats are well suited to their diet, with long canines for gripping prey and blade-like molars for cutting flesh.

Role in nature

Felines and humans

Fossil felines

The oldest known true feline (Proailurus) lived in the Oligocene and Miocene eras. During the Miocene it gave way to Pseudaelurus. Pseudaelurus is believed to be the latest common ancestor of the two extant subfamilies and the extinct subfamily, Machairodontinae. This group, better known as the sabertooth cats, became extinct in the Late Pleistocene era. It includes the genera Smilodon, Machairodus, Dinofelis and Homotherium.

Classification

Wildcat skull

Lion

FAMILY FELIDAE
- Subfamily Felinae
  - Genus Felis
    - Chinese Mountain Cat (Felis bieti)
    - Domestic Cat (Felis catus)
    - Jungle Cat (Felis chaus)
    - Pallas's Cat (Felis manul)
    - Sand Cat (Felis margarita)
    - Black-footed Cat (Felis nigripes)
    - Wildcat (Felis sylvestris)
  - Genus Prionailurus
    - Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis)
    - Iriomote Cat (Prionailurus iriomotensis)
    - Flat-headed Cat (Prionailurus planiceps)
    - Rusty-spotted Cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus)
    - Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus)
  - Genus Puma
    - Cougar (Puma concolor)
    - Jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi)
  - Genus Acinonyx
    - Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
  - Genus Lynx
    - Canadian Lynx (Lynx canadensis)
    - Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx)
    - Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus)
    - Bobcat (Lynx rufus)
  - Genus Leopardus
    - Pantanal (Leopardus braccatus)
    - Colocolo (Leopardus colocolo)
    - Geoffroy's Cat (Leopardus geoffroyi)
    - Kodkod (Leopardus guigna)
    - Andean Mountain Cat (Leopardus jacobitus)
    - Pampas Cat (Leopardus pajeros)
    - Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)
    - Oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus)
    - Margay (Leopardus wiedii)
  - Genus Leptailurus
    - Serval (Leptailurus serval)
  - Genus Caracal
    - Caracal (Caracal caracal)
  - Genus Profelis
    - African Golden Cat (Profelis aurata)
  - Genus Catopuma
    - Bay Cat (Catopuma badia)
    - Asian Golden Cat (Catopuma temminckii)
  - Genus Pardofelis
    - Marbled Cat (Pardofelis marmorata)
- Subfamily Pantherinae
  - Genus Neofelis
    - Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)
    - Bornean Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi)
  - Genus Panthera
    - Lion (Panthera leo)
    - Jaguar (Panthera onca)
    - Leopard (Panthera pardus)
    - Tiger (Panthera tigris)
  - Genus Uncia
    - Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia)

Alternative classification

Genetic research gives a more concise classification for the cat family ^[2]^[1]:

Lineage 1: Panthera, Uncia, Neofelis
Lineage 2: Pardofelis, Catopuma,
Lineage 3: Leptailurus, Caracal, Profelis
Lineage 4: Leopardus
Lineage 5: Lynx
Lineage 6: Puma, Herpailurus, Acinonyx
Lineage 7: Prionailurus
Lineage 8: Felis

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Mott, M. (January 11, 2006). Cats Climb New family Tree. National Geographic News
Nowak, R. M., and J. L. Paradiso. 1983. Walker's Mammals of the World. Baltimore, Maryland: The Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0801825253.
Shoemaker, Alan (1996). 1996 Taxonomic and Legal Status of the Felidae. Felid Taxonomic Advisory Group of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. Retrieved 2006-07-15.
Turner, A. (1997). The big cats and their fossil relatives. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-10229-1.
University of California Museum of Paleontology (UCMP). 2007. Introduction to the Carnivora] Retrieved May 4, 2007.
Voelker, W. 1986. The Natural History of Living Mammals. Medford, New Jersey: Plexus Publishing, Inc. ISBN 0937548081.

Credits

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↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 W. C. Wozencraft, "Order Carnivora," in D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder (eds.), Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. (Washington : Smithsonian Institution Press, 1993). ISBN 1560982179.
↑ W.E. Johnson et al.: The Late Miocene radiation of Modern Felidae: A genetic assessment. Science, Bd. 311, S. 73-77, Jan. 2006

[MSW3-1] 1.0 ^1.1 W. C. Wozencraft, "Order Carnivora," in D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder (eds.), Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. (Washington : Smithsonian Institution Press, 1993). ISBN 1560982179.

[2] W.E. Johnson et al.: The Late Miocene radiation of Modern Felidae: A genetic assessment. Science, Bd. 311, S. 73-77, Jan. 2006

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