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The first new cat species discovered in 100 years
Summary
A new small wild cat species, *Leopardus tilcayo*, was identified in Bolivia after genomic analysis of a specimen first found in 2017. The study, published in *Current Biology*, shows the cat diverged from related tiger cats ~1.4 Myr ago and suggests many small‑cat taxa are cryptic species, with implications for conservation assessments.
- Genomic sequencing of 38 *Leopardus* individuals revealed a distinct lineage, warranting species status for *L. tilcayo*.
- Phylogenetic analysis indicates the new species split from other tiger cats ~1.4 million years ago, comparable to lion–cave‑lion divergence.
- The work expands the *Leopardus* genus from three to five recognized tiger‑cat species and hints at multiple hidden margay species.
- Taxonomic revisions affect IUCN conservation status calculations, potentially increasing urgency for habitat protection.
Accurate species delimitation using whole‑genome data reshapes biodiversity metrics and informs targeted conservation strategies, a methodological shift that could be applied to other understudied taxa.
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