Felidae

Felidae is a family of mammals, in the order Carnivora. Animals that belong to Felidae are called felids.
The family is of quite recent origin: the first fossils are from the Oligocene, 25 million years ago (mya). There are 41 living species, including the domestic cat, and they are monophyletic: all descended from the same ancestor.
Characteristics
Felids tend to have lithe and flexible bodies with muscular limbs. In most species, the tail is a third or a half the length of the body, with some exceptions (the bobcat and margay). The limbs are digitigrade, meaning they walk on their toes. The paws have three soft toe pads and retractible claws (usually). The tongue of felids is covered with horny papillae, which rasp meat from prey and aid in grooming.
Classification
The Felidae has three subfamilies:
+Machairodontinae: sabre-toothed cats.
Pantherinae: large cats tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard
Felinae: cougar, cheetah and smaller cats
More examples of felines are the big cats - the lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, snow leopard, clouded leopard, puma, and cheetah - and other wild cats, for example the lynx, caracal, and bobcat. All felines, also the small pet cat, are predators that can hunt many animals.
Evolution
The felids evolved in Asia and spread across continents by crossing land bridges. DNA sequence analysis shows that ancient cats evolved into eight main lines. There were at least 10 migrations (in both directions) from continent to continent via the Bering land bridge and Isthmus of Panama. The Panthera genus is the oldest and the Felis genus is the youngest. 60 percent of the modern species of cats developed within the last million years.
The felids' closest relatives are the linsangs, and at one remove the group of civets, hyenas, mongooses, and Madagascar carnivores, with whom they share the Suborder Feliformia. All felid species share a genetic anomaly that prevents them from tasting sweetness.
Genetic classification
Genetic research has provided a basis for a more concise classification for the living members of the cat family based on genotypical groupings. Specifically, eight genetic lineages have been identified:
Lineage 1: Panthera, Uncia, Neofelis
Lineage 2: Pardofelis, Catopuma
Lineage 3: Leptailurus, Caracal, Profelis
Lineage 4: Leopardus
Lineage 5: Lynx
Lineage 6: Puma, Acinonyx
Lineage 7: Prionailurus, Otocolobus
Lineage 8: Felis
The last four lineages (5, 6, 7, 8) are more related to each other than to any of the first four (1, 2, 3, 4), and so form a clade within the Felinae subfamily of family Felidae.
Taxonomy
Subfamily Felinae
Genus Acinonyx
Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus
Genus Caracal
Caracal, Caracal caracal
Genus Catopuma
Bay cat, Catopuma badia
Asian golden cat, Catopuma temminckii
Genus Felis
Chinese mountain cat, Felis bieti
Jungle cat, Felis chaus
Pallas' cat / Manul, Felis manul
Sand cat, Felis margarita
Black-footed cat, Felis nigripes
Wildcat, Felis silvestris
Domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus
Genus Leopardus
Pantanal cat, Leopardus braccatus
Colocolo, Leopardus colocolo
Pampas cat, Leopardus pajeros
Geoffroy's cat, Leopardus geoffroyi
Kodkod, Leopardus guigna
Andean mountain cat, Leopardus jacobitus
Ocelot, Leopardus pardalis
Oncilla, Leopardus tigrinus
Margay, Leopardus wiedii
Genus Leptailurus
Serval, Leptailurus serval
Genus Lynx
Canada lynx, Lynx canadensis
Eurasian lynx, Lynx lynx
Iberian lynx, Lynx pardinus
Bobcat, Lynx rufus
Genus Pardofelis
Marbled cat, Pardofelis marmorata
Genus Prionailurus
Leopard cat, Prionailurus bengalensis
Iriomote cat, Prionailurus iriomotensis
Flat-headed cat, Prionailurus planiceps
Rusty-spotted cat, Prionailurus rubiginosus
Fishing cat, Prionailurus viverrinus
Genus Profelis
African golden cat, Profelis aurata
Genus Puma
Puma, Puma concolor
Subfamily Pantherinae
Genus Neofelis
Clouded leopard, Neofelis nebulosa
Sunda clouded leopard, Neofelis diardi
Genus Panthera
Lion, Panthera leo
Jaguar, Panthera onca
Leopard, Panthera pardus
Tiger, Panthera tigris
Genus Uncia
Snow leopard, Uncia uncia
Related pages
Smilodon
References