Caracal (genus)

For other uses, see Caracal (disambiguation).
Caracal
Caracal caracal
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Subfamily: Felinae
Genus: Caracal
Gray, 1843
Species

Caracal aurata
Caracal caracal

Caracal is a genus of the subfamily Felinae in the family Felidae. Previously it was considered to be a monotypic genus, consisting of only the type species: Caracal caracal, commonly called caracal.

Genetic analysis has shown that caracal, African golden cat and serval are genetically closely related and diverged from a common ancestor about 5.4 million years ago. Therefore, it has been suggested to subordinate all of them to the genus Caracal.[1] This taxonomic classification is used in the IUCN Red List for the African golden cat.[2] It is used as a synonym for the serval.[3]

References

  1. Johnson, W. E.; Eizirik, E.; Pecon-Slattery, J.; Murphy, W.J.; Antunes, A.; Teeling, E.; O'Brien, S.J. (2006). "The Late Miocene Radiation of Modern Felidae: A Genetic Assessment". Science. 311 (5757): 73–7. doi:10.1126/science.1122277. PMID 16400146.
  2. Bahaa-el-din, L.; Mills, D.; Hunter, L. & Henschel, P. (2015). "Caracal aurata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature.
  3. Thiel, C. (2015). "Leptailurus serval". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature.


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