IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Driscoll, C.A. | |
| Phylogenetics and conservation of the wildcat, _Felis silvestris _and Caspian tiger, _Panthera tigris virgata_ | |
| 2011 Full Book | |
Until recently it has been difficult to resolve issues of taxonomy, phylogeny and population history of some natural populations. Previously, morphological, behavioral, ecological or geographic criteria were often applied in subjective and unsystematic ways leading to confusion and disagreement. Because taxonomy is an important part of conservation efforts, errors at this early stage can frustrate further progress. This has been the case with the wildcat,_ Felis silvestris_, and the Caspian tiger, _Panthera tigris virgata_. Both taxa were described on pelage and gross morphological criteria which have subsequently proven inadequate for modern conservation purposes. The ongoing revolution in biotechnology has yielded technological advances that, together with advances in ancient DNA recovery, provide the possibility of resolving these long-standing problems (Avise, 1994) as well as providing tools for assessing genetic variability, which has an influence on a population's risk of extinction (O'Brien, 1996). Here I show that wild silvestris subspecies and the domestic cat can be distinguished using mitochondrial and microsatellite markers. I found that the wildcat is a polytypic species comprised of five wild (_F. s. silvestris, F. s. lybica,_ _F. s. cafra, F. s. ornata, F. s bieti_) and one domestic (_F. s. catus_) subspecies, which is derived solely from the lybica group; I support elevating cafra as a subspecies distinct from lybica with which it has been grouped; and also determine that the Chinese mountain cat, previously recognized as a distinct species, _F. bieti_, is a subspecies in the silvestris complex. I also show that mitochondria from the extinct Caspian tiger is highly similar to that found in the extant Amur tiger living in the Russian Far East, establishing the synonymy of these two taxa. These findings provide tools for monitoring genetic health and demonstrate the significant benefits of a molecular phylogenetic approach to taxonomy. Looking forward, a deeper knowledge of the genetic variability and phylogenetic relationships among these widely recognized and endangered cats will provide a rationale for systematic conservation efforts. |
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