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Chakraborty, R.; Chakraborty, S.; De, J.K.
Identification of dorsal guard hairs of the species of Indian lesser cats
1999 Mammalia (65): 93-104
Macro and microscopic characteristics of the dorsal guard hairs of eleven species of Indian lesser cats have been studied. Except for _Felis chaus _and _Lynx lynx _all the species have straight, shielded and spatulate guard hairs. The genera _Prionailurus, Lynx _and _Catopuma _have "Unbroken cellular" type of medulla; _Otocolobus _and _Caracal _have "Unbroken amorphous" type ; "Uniserial ladder" and "Unbroken vacuolated" type in _Pardofelis _and _Neofelis _respectively. While in two species of the genus _Felis, _two different types viz, "Uniserial ladder" and "Unbroken vacuolated" are found. All the genera could be distinguished on the basis of medullary index along with medullary configuration. Profile and size of dorsal guard hairs, scale pattern, scale margin and scale count, are among the features which may be used in the specific identification. Keys to the identification of different genera and species of the lesser cats are included.
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