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'''''Neofelis''''' is a [[Genus (biology)|genus]] comprising two [[Felidae|felid]] [[Species (biology)|species]] from [[Southeast Asia]], namely the [[clouded leopard]] ''Neofelis nebulosa'' of mainland Asia, and the [[Sunda clouded leopard]] ''Neofelis diardi'' of [[Sumatra]] and [[Borneo]].<ref name="BB">{{cite journal |author=Buckley-Beason, V.A., Johnson, W.E., Nash, W.G., Stanyon, R., Menninger, J.C., Driscoll, C.A., Howard, J., Bush, M., Page, J.E., Roelke, M.E., Stone, G., Martelli, P., Wen, C., Ling, L.; Duraisingam, R.K., Lam, V.P., O'Brien, S.J. |year=2006 |title=Molecular Evidence for Species-Level Distinctions in Clouded Leopards |journal=Current Biology |volume=16 |issue=23 |pages=2371–2376 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2006.08.066 |pmid=17141620}}</ref><ref name="Kitchener">{{cite journal |author=Kitchener, A.C., Beaumont, M.A., Richardson, D. |year=2006 |title=Geographical Variation in the Clouded Leopard, ''Neofelis nebulosa'', Reveals Two Species |journal=Current Biology |volume=16 |issue=23 |pages=2377–2383 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2006.10.066 |pmid=17141621}}</ref>
'''''Neofelis''''' is a genus of felines from [[southeast Asia]] commonly known as clouded leopards. There are two existant species:

⚫
the original [[clouded leopard]], ''Neofelis macrocelis'', occuring today in [[Himalayan mountains]], [[Malacca]], and [[Thailand]]; <ref name=Gray1867>Gray, J.E. (1867). [http://www.archive.org/stream/proceedingsofzoo1867zool#page/264/mode/2up ''Notes on the skulls of the Cats. 5. Neofelis'']. Page 265–266 in: Proceedings of the Scientific Meetings of the Zoological Society of London for the year 1867.</ref> and the recently recognized second species, the [[Sunda clouded leopard]] or Diard's clouded leopard, (''[[Neofelis diardi]])'', native to the southeast Asian islands of [[Borneo]] and [[Sumatra]].
The [[scientific name]] ''Neofelis'' is a composite of the [[Greek language|Greek]] word νεο- meaning "new", and the [[Latin]] word ''feles'' meaning "cat", so it literally means "new cat".<ref>Perseus Digital Library. Greek Dictionary [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/resolveform?type=start&lookup=neo&lang=greek νεο] Headword Search Result</ref><ref>Perseus Digital Library. Latin Dictionary [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?l=felis&la=la feles] Headword Search Result</ref>

==Taxonomic history==
⚫
The [[generic name]] ''Neofelis'' was first proposed by [[John Edward Gray]] in 1867 as comprising two species, namely ''Neofelis macrocelis'', occuring in the [[Himalaya]], [[Malacca]], and [[Thailand]], and [[Formosan clouded leopard|''Neofelis brachyurus'']] occurring in the former [[Taiwan|Formosa]].<ref name=Gray1867>Gray, J.E. (1867). [http://www.archive.org/stream/proceedingsofzoo1867zool#page/264/mode/2up ''Notes on the skulls of the Cats. 5. Neofelis'']. Page 265–266 in: Proceedings of the Scientific Meetings of the Zoological Society of London for the year 1867.</ref>
[[Reginald Innes Pocock]] recognized the [[taxonomic classification]] of ''Neofelis'' in 1917, but admitted only the single species ''[[clouded leopard|Neofelis nebulosa]]'' with several [[subspecies]].<ref name=Pocock1917>Pocock, R. I. (1917). [http://www.archive.org/stream/annalsmagazineof8201917lond#page/343/mode/1up ''The classification of existing Felidae'']. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History; zoology, botany, and geology, 8th ser. vol. 20 no. 119: 329–350.</ref> For almost 90 years, the classification of ''Neofelis'' as a [[monotypic genus]] was widely accepted.<ref name=msw3>{{MSW3 Wozencraft |id=14000221 |pages=545–546}}</ref>
In 2006, ''[[Neofelis diardi]]'' was found to be distinct from its continental relative ''Neofelis nebulosa'' and classified as a separate species.<ref name="BB"/><ref name="Kitchener"/>


== Characteristics ==
== Characteristics ==

Revision as of 07:30, 20 April 2012

Neofelis
Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Carnivora
Family:
Felidae
Subfamily:
Pantherinae
Genus:
Neofelis

Gray, 1867
Species
Neofelis range

Neofelis is a genus comprising two felid species from Southeast Asia, namely the clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa of mainland Asia, and the Sunda clouded leopard Neofelis diardi of Sumatra and Borneo.[1][2]

The scientific name Neofelis is a composite of the Greek word νεο- meaning "new", and the Latin word feles meaning "cat", so it literally means "new cat".[3][4]

Taxonomic history

The generic name Neofelis was first proposed by John Edward Gray in 1867 as comprising two species, namely Neofelis macrocelis, occuring in the Himalaya, Malacca, and Thailand, and Neofelis brachyurus occurring in the former Formosa.[5] Reginald Innes Pocock recognized the taxonomic classification of Neofelis in 1917, but admitted only the single species Neofelis nebulosa with several subspecies.[6] For almost 90 years, the classification of Neofelis as a monotypic genus was widely accepted.[7] In 2006, Neofelis diardi was found to be distinct from its continental relative Neofelis nebulosa and classified as a separate species.[1][2]

Characteristics

Formosan clouded leopard painted by Joseph Wolf in 1862.

All clouded leopards share a distinctive elongate skull: a broad and rather produced face on the same plane as the forehead, a large and elongate nasal, a moderate orbit, and a truncated lower jaw. They have very long conical upper and lower canine teeth with a sharp cutting hinder edge and a very much elongated upper canine. The skull more nearly resembles that of the fossil Smilodon than that of any other known feline. [5] The skull somewhat resembles that of a true leopard (Panthera pardus), especially in the shortness and wide separation of the frontal and malar postorbital processes and relative proportion of mandibular teeth; but differs in the greater posterior width of the nasals; the thicker, more salient inferior edge of the orbit; and the mandible being greatly elevated anteriorly.[6] The Sunda clouded leopard has longer upper canines and a narrower palate between them.[8].

Distribution and habitat

Neofelis species range from Nepal and Sikkim eastward to South China and Hainan, southeastward to Burma, Annam, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java and Borneo.[9] They are most closely associated with primary evergreen tropical rainforest, but make use of other types of habitat. Sightings have also been made in secondary and logged forest, as well as grassland and scrub. In the Himalayan foothills they have been recorded up to 1,450 m (4,760 ft).[10]

Distribution of species

Between 1821 and 1862, several felids have been described from Southeast Asia that are subordinated under Neofelis today:

  • Neofelis nebulosa was first described in 1821 by Edward Griffith under the name Felis nebulosa based on a specimen brought from Canton in southern China.[11] Populations range from the Himalayan foothills in Nepal through mainland Southeast Asia into China.[10] One recently extinct subspecies, the Formosan clouded leopard, Neofelis nebulosa brachyura, first described in 1862 under the name Leopardus brachyurus, lived on Taiwan.[12]
  • Neofelis diardi was first described in 1823 by Georges Cuvier based on a skin and a drawing received from Java.[13] The Sunda clouded leopard is probably restricted to the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.[1] In Java only clouded leopard fossils were found.[14]

Threats

Deforestation is the foremost threat for both species.[10] They are also threatened by commercial poaching for the wildlife trade. Skins, claws and teeth are offered for decoration and clothing, bones and meat as substitute for tiger in traditional Asian medicines and tonics, and live animals for the pet trade. Few poaching incidents have been documented, but all range states are believed to have some degree of commercial poaching. In recent years, substantial domestic markets existed in Indonesia, Myanmar and Vietnam.[15]

Conservation

Both Neofelis species are listed in CITES Appendix I and are protected over most of their range. Hunting is banned in Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Hunting regulations apply in Laos.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c Buckley-Beason, V.A., Johnson, W.E., Nash, W.G., Stanyon, R., Menninger, J.C., Driscoll, C.A., Howard, J., Bush, M., Page, J.E., Roelke, M.E., Stone, G., Martelli, P., Wen, C., Ling, L.; Duraisingam, R.K., Lam, V.P., O'Brien, S.J. (2006). "Molecular Evidence for Species-Level Distinctions in Clouded Leopards". Current Biology. 16 (23): 2371–2376. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2006.08.066. PMID 17141620.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b Kitchener, A.C., Beaumont, M.A., Richardson, D. (2006). "Geographical Variation in the Clouded Leopard, Neofelis nebulosa, Reveals Two Species". Current Biology. 16 (23): 2377–2383. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2006.10.066. PMID 17141621.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Perseus Digital Library. Greek Dictionary νεο Headword Search Result
  4. ^ Perseus Digital Library. Latin Dictionary feles Headword Search Result
  5. ^ a b Gray, J.E. (1867). Notes on the skulls of the Cats. 5. Neofelis. Page 265–266 in: Proceedings of the Scientific Meetings of the Zoological Society of London for the year 1867.
  6. ^ a b Pocock, R. I. (1917). The classification of existing Felidae. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History; zoology, botany, and geology, 8th ser. vol. 20 no. 119: 329–350.
  7. ^ Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Order Carnivora". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 545–546. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  8. ^ Christiansen, P. (2008). "Species distinction and evolutionary differences in the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) and Diard's clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi)". Journal of Mammalogy. 89 (6): 1435−1446. doi:10.1644/08-MAMM-A-013.1.
  9. ^ Pocock, R. I. (1939) The fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Mammalia. – Volume 1. Taylor and Francis, London.
  10. ^ a b c d Nowell, K., Jackson, P. (1996). Clouded Leopard in: Wild Cats: status survey and conservation action plan. IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerland
  11. ^ Griffith, E. (1821). Felis nebulosa. Plate 37 in: General and particular descriptions of the vertebrated animals : arranged conformably to the modern discoveries and improvements in zoology. Volume 1: Order Carnivora. Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, Rodwell and Martin, W. Wood, London.
  12. ^ Swinhoe, R. (1862). On the Mammals of the Island of Formosa. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London: 347–365.
  13. ^ Cuvier, G. (1823). Chapitre V. Des Ossemens de Grands Félis. Pages 407−456 in: Recherches sur les ossemens fossiles; ou, l'on retablit les caracteres de plusiers animaux dont les revolutions du globe ont detruit les especes. Volume IV: Les Ruminans et les Carnassiers Fossiles. Paris: G. Dufour & E. d'Ocagne
  14. ^ Meijaard, E. (2004). Biogeographic history of the Javan leopard Panthera pardus based on a craniometric analysis. Journal of Mammalogy 85: 302−310.
  15. ^ Nowell, K. (2007). Asian big cat conservation and trade control in selected range States: evaluating implementation and effectiveness of CITES Recommendations. A TRAFFIC Report, June 2007
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