O nouă specie de pisică-tigru, descoperită după un secol

Scientists have identified a new feline species, Leopardus tilcayo, resolving long-standing debates about the genealogy of wild cats. This small wild cat, found in Bolivia's Yungas cloud forests, is a type of tiger cat. The study also recognized a new subspecies, Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo, in Peru. L. tilcayo diverged from other Leopardus species 1.4 million years ago, marking the first new feline species discovered in over a century. The research involved genomic analysis of 38 feline samples, clarifying the evolutionary history of tiger cats and confirming five distinct species. Further studies are needed to understand L. tilcayo's behavior and distribution.