Researchers have discovered a new species of cat in Bolivia, known to local communities as the “tiger cat,” and named it Leopardus tilcayo.
It is the first living feline species to be formally named and scientifically described in nearly a century.
Found in Bolivia’s Yungas forest, the cat is about 46 cm long and weighs around 1.4 kg, making it smaller than the average domestic cat. It has a light brown coat with irregular dark markings.
Researchers have identified a new species of cat in Bolivia, known to local communities as the “tiger cat,” and given it the scientific name Leopardus tilcayo.
It is the first time in about a century that a living feline species has been formally named and scientifically described.
Little is known so far about the cat’s biology and behavior. Remains of small rodents found in fecal samples suggest that they may be part of its diet, while camera-trap evidence indicates that the cat may be more active at night, according to Nogales-Ascarrunz, a National Geographic Explorer and one of the authors of the study describing the new species, published Thursday in the scientific journal Current Biology.
Tiger cats were previously considered a single species, but genetic studies conducted decades ago suggested that several distinct species existed.
The species was found in Bolivia’s Yungas forest. It measures about 46 cm in length and weighs around 1.4 kg, making it smaller than the average domestic cat. Its coat is light brown with irregular dark markings.
Tiger cats are considered “cryptic species,” meaning they cannot easily be distinguished from one another by appearance alone, said Jonas Lescroart, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Antwerp in Belgium who co-led the study.
Source: The Guardian
