Oncilla

Last updated

Oncilla
Leopardus tigrinus - Parc des Felins.jpg
CITES Appendix I (CITES) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Felidae
Subfamily: Felinae
Genus: Leopardus
Species:
L. tigrinus
Binomial name
Leopardus tigrinus
(Schreber, 1775) [2]
Oncilla distribution.jpg
Distribution of the oncilla, 2016 [1]
Synonyms

Oncifelis tigrinus, Felis tigrina

The oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus), also known as the northern tiger cat, little spotted cat, and tigrillo, is a small spotted cat ranging from Central America to central Brazil. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and the population is threatened by deforestation and conversion of habitat to agricultural land. [1]

Contents

In 2013, it was proposed to assign the oncilla populations in southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina to a new species: the southern tiger cat (L. guttulus), after it was found that it does not interbreed with the oncilla population in northeastern Brazil. [3]

Characteristics

The oncilla resembles the margay (L. wiedii) and the ocelot (L. pardalis), [4] but it is smaller, with a slender build and narrower muzzle. Oncillas are one of the smallest wild cats in South America, reaching a body length of 38 to 59 cm (15 to 23 in) with a 20 to 42 cm (7.9 to 16.5 in) long tail. [5] While this is somewhat longer than the average domestic cat, the oncilla is generally lighter, weighing 1.5 to 3 kg (3.3 to 6.6 lb). [6]

A melanistic oncilla in a tree in Cerro de la Muerte, Costa Rica Melanistic Oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus).jpg
A melanistic oncilla in a tree in Cerro de la Muerte, Costa Rica

The fur is thick and soft, ranging from light brown to dark ochre, with numerous dark rosettes across the back and flanks. The underside is pale with dark spots and the tail is ringed. The backs of the ears are black with bold white spots. The rosettes are black or brown, open in the center, and irregularly shaped. The legs have medium-sized spots tapering to smaller spots near the paws. This coloration helps the oncilla blend in with the mottled sunlight of the tropical forest understory. The oncilla's jaw is shortened, with fewer teeth, but with well-developed carnassials and canines. [4]

Some melanistic oncillas have been reported from the more heavily forested parts of its range. [5]

Distribution and habitat

The oncilla is distributed from a disjunct population in Costa Rica and Panama, and throughout the Amazon basin to central Brazil. It was recorded in Costa Rica's cloud forests, in the northern Andes at elevations of 1,500 to 3,000 m (4,900 to 9,800 ft) and in dry Cerrado and Caatinga landscapes of northern Brazil. [1] In Panama, it was recorded in Darién, [7] and in Volcán Barú National Parks. [8] In Colombia, it was recorded in the Cordillera Occidental at elevations of 1,900 to 4,800 m (6,200 to 15,700 ft) in Los Nevados National Natural Park, [9] and in Antioquia Department. [10]

Ecology and behavior

The oncilla is a primarily terrestrial animal, but is also an adept climber. Like all cats, the oncilla is an obligate carnivore, requiring meat for survival. This cat eats small mammals, lizards, birds, eggs, invertebrates, and the occasional tree frog. Occasionally, the cat will eat grasses. The oncilla stalks its prey from a distance, and once in range, it pounces to catch and kill the prey. [11] [ page needed ]

They are generally nocturnal, but in areas such as Caatinga, where their main food source consists of diurnal lizards, they are more likely to be active during the day. Young oncillas have been observed to purr, while adults are known to make short, gurgling calls when close to one another. [5]

Reproduction

Estrus lasts from three to nine days, with older cats having shorter cycles. Females give birth to one to three kittens after a gestation of 74 to 76 days. [12] The kittens' eyes open after 8 to 17 days, an unusually long period for a cat of this size. Their teeth erupt more or less simultaneously at around 21 days of age. [13] The kittens do not begin to take solid food until they are 38 to 56 days old, but are fully weaned at the age of three months. [5]

Oncillas reach sexual maturity at around two to two and a half years of age. They have a life span of about 11 years in the wild, but there are records of oncillas reaching an age of 17 years. [12]

Taxonomy

The following are the traditionally recognized subspecies: [2]

Although the Central American oncilla is listed as a separate subspecies, based on analysis of mitochondrial DNA, Johnson et al. (1999) found strongly supported differences between L.t. oncilla in Costa Rica and L.t. guttulus in southern Brazil, comparable to differences between different neotropical species. Researchers have argued that there should be a splitting of the oncilla into two species, as there is a pronounced difference in appearance between the oncillas in Costa Rica and those in central and southern Brazil. Further samples of L.t. oncilla are needed from northern South America to determine whether this taxon ranges outside Central America, and whether it should be considered a distinct species rather than a subspecies. [1]

In 2013, genetic research revealed that the former subspecies L. t. guttulus is a separate cryptic species that does not interbreed with the other subspecies, and proposes a classification into two species L. guttulus and L. tigrinus. [3]

A zone of hybridization between the oncilla and the colocolo (Pampas cat) has been found through genetic analyses of specimens from central Brazil. [14]

Results of a morphological analysis of 250 samples of skins and skulls indicate that there are three distinct oncilla groups: namely one in South America's northern, north-western and western range countries, one in eastern and one in southern range countries. Based on these results, the eastern group was proposed to be a distinct species Leopardus emiliae . [15] A further phylogenetic study published in 2021 supported the recognition of a third species. [16]

Threats

Oncillas are killed for their fur. Leopardus tigrinus (Tiger cat) fur skins.jpg
Oncillas are killed for their fur.

The oncilla is mainly threatened by deforestation and poaching. Oncillas are killed for their pelts, which are highly prized and often sold or made into clothing. [1] Reports in 1972 and 1982 in South America showed that the oncilla is one of the four most heavily hunted of all the small wild cats. [17]

Another factor contributing to oncilla mortality is human expansion and conversion of land for settlements. Coffee plantations are most often established in cloud forest habitats, causing the reduction of preferred habitats. [18]

Hybridization of the oncilla with the Geoffroy's cat (Leopardus geoffroyi) has been found in the southernmost part of its range; hybridization with the Pampas cat (L. colocola) has also been found in central Brazil. Such hybridization may be a natural process, and the extent of this as a threat to the oncilla is unknown. [19]

Conservation

The oncilla has been classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. It is listed on CITES Appendix I, prohibiting all international commercial trade in oncillas or products made from them. [1] Hunting is still allowed in Ecuador, Guyana, Nicaragua and Peru. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaguar</span> Large cat native to the Americas

The jaguar is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus Panthera native to the Americas. With a body length of up to 1.85 m and a weight of up to 158 kg (348 lb), it is the biggest cat species in the Americas and the third largest in the world. Its distinctively marked coat features pale yellow to tan colored fur covered by spots that transition to rosettes on the sides, although a melanistic black coat appears in some individuals. The jaguar's powerful bite allows it to pierce the carapaces of turtles and tortoises, and to employ an unusual killing method: it bites directly through the skull of mammalian prey between the ears to deliver a fatal blow to the brain.

A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of the leopard and the jaguar. Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical rosettes are also present. They have been documented mostly in tropical forests, with black leopards in Africa and Asia, and black jaguars in South America. Melanism is caused by a recessive allele in the leopard, and by a dominant allele in the jaguar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margay</span> Small wild cat

The margay is a small wild cat native to Central and South America. A solitary and nocturnal felid, it lives mainly in primary evergreen and deciduous forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ocelot</span> Small wild cat

The ocelot is a medium-sized spotted wild cat that reaches 40–50 cm (15.7–19.7 in) at the shoulders and weighs between 7 and 15.5 kg on average. It is native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Margarita. Carl Linnaeus scientifically described it in 1758. Two subspecies are recognized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-footed cat</span> Small wild cat native to Southern Africa

The black-footed cat, also called the small-spotted cat, is the smallest wild cat in Africa, having a head-and-body length of 35–52 cm (14–20 in). Despite its name, only the soles of its feet are black or dark brown. With its bold small spots and stripes on the tawny fur, it is well camouflaged, especially on moonlit nights. It bears black streaks running from the corners of the eyes along the cheeks, and its banded tail has a black tip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian golden cat</span> Small wild cat

The Asian golden cat is a medium-sized wild cat native to the northeastern Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and China. It has been listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List since 2008, and is threatened by poaching and habitat destruction, since Southeast Asian forests are undergoing the world's fastest regional deforestation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leopard cat</span> Small wild cat species

The leopard cat is a small wild cat native to continental South, Southeast, and East Asia. Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List as it is widely distributed although threatened by habitat loss and hunting in parts of its range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rusty-spotted cat</span> Small wild cat

The rusty-spotted cat is one of the cat family's smallest members, of which historical records are known only from India and Sri Lanka. In 2012, it was also recorded in the western Terai of Nepal. Since 2016, the global wild population is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List as it is fragmented and affected by loss and destruction of its prime habitat, deciduous forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flat-headed cat</span> Small wild cat

The flat-headed cat is a small wild cat with short reddish-brown fur. Its head is elongated, and its ears are rounded. Its slender body is 41 to 50 cm long with a tail of 13 to 15 cm, and it weighs 1.5 to 2.5 kg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaguarundi</span> Species of felid

The jaguarundi is a wild cat native to the Americas. Its range extends from central Argentina in the south to northern Mexico, through Central and South America east of the Andes. The jaguarundi is a medium-sized cat of slender build. Its coloration is uniform with two color morphs, gray and red. It has an elongated body, with relatively short legs, a small, narrow head, small, round ears, a short snout, and a long tail, resembling mustelids in these respects. It is about twice as large as a domestic cat, reaching nearly 360 mm (14 in) at the shoulder, and weighs 3.5–7 kg (7.7–15.4 lb).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kodkod</span> Small wild cat

The kodkod, also called güiña, is the smallest felid species native to the Americas. It lives primarily in central and southern Chile, as well as marginally in adjoining areas of Argentina. Since 2002, it has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List as the total population may be less than 10,000 mature individuals; it is threatened by persecution, and loss of habitat and prey base.

<i>Prionailurus</i> Genus of carnivores

Prionailurus is a genus of spotted, small wild cats native to Asia. Forests are their preferred habitat; they feed on small mammals, reptiles and birds, and occasionally aquatic wildlife.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geoffroy's cat</span> Small wild cat

Geoffroy's cat is a small wild cat native to the southern and central regions of South America. It is about the size of a domestic cat. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List because it is widespread and abundant over most of its range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felid hybrids</span> Hybrid carnivore

A felid hybrid is any of a number of hybrids between various species of the cat family, Felidae. This article deals with hybrids between the species of the subfamily Felinae.

<i>Leopardus</i> Genus of felines native to the Americas

Leopardus is a genus comprising eight species of small cats native to the Americas. This genus is considered the oldest branch of a genetic lineage of small cats in the Americas whose common ancestor crossed the Bering land bridge from Asia to North America in the late Miocene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pampas cat</span> Small wild cat

The Pampas cat is a small wild cat native to South America. It is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List as habitat conversion and destruction may cause the population to decline in the future.

The Pantanal cat is a Pampas cat subspecies, a small wild cat native to South America. It is named after the Pantanal wetlands in central South America, where it inhabits mainly grassland, shrubland, savannas and deciduous forests.

<i>Leopardus guttulus</i> Small wild cat

Leopardus guttulus, the southern tigrina or southern tiger cat, is a small wild cat species native to Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mata Preta Ecological Station</span>

The Mata Preta Ecological Station is an ecological station in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. It preserves fragments of Atlantic Forest vegetation, including endangered plant and animal species.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Payan, E.; de Oliveira, T. (2016). "Leopardus tigrinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T54012637A50653881. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T54012637A50653881.en . Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Species Leopardus tigrinus". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 539. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  3. 1 2 Trigo, T. C.; Schneider, A.; de Oliveira, T. G.; Lehugeur, L. M.; Silveira, L.; Freitas, T. R.O. & Eizirik, E. (2013). "Molecular data reveal complex hybridization and a cryptic species of Neotropical Wild Cat". Current Biology. 23 (24): 2528–2533. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.10.046 . PMID   24291091.
  4. 1 2 Leyhausen, P. (1963). "Über südamerikanische Pardelkatzen". Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie. 20 (5): 627–640. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0310.1963.tb01179.x.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Sunquist, M. & Sunquist, F. (2002). "Oncilla Leopardus tigrinus (Schreber, 1775)". Wild Cats of the World . Chicago: University of Chicago Press. pp. 130–134. ISBN   0-226-77999-8.
  6. ↑ University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
  7. ↑ Meyer, N.F.; Esser, H.J.; Moreno, R.; van Langevelde, F.; Liefting, Y.; Oller, D.R.; Vogels, C.B.; Carver, A.D.; Nielsen, C.K. & Jansen, P.A. (2015). "An assessment of the terrestrial mammal communities in forests of Central Panama, using camera-trap surveys". Journal for Nature Conservation. 26 (26): 28−35. Bibcode:2015JNatC..26...28M. doi: 10.1016/j.jnc.2015.04.003 .
  8. ↑ Rodgers, T. W. & Kapheim, K. M. (2017). "A High-Elevation Record of the Little Spotted Cat (Leopardus tigrinus oncilla) from Western Panama". The Southwestern Naturalist. 62 (3): 225−227. doi:10.1894/SWNAT-D-17-00024.1. S2CID   91002891.
  9. ↑ Payan, E. G. & González-Maya, J.F. (2011). "Distribución geográfica de la Oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus) en Colombia e implicaciones para su conservación" [Geographic distribution of the Oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus) in Colombia and implications for its conservation]. Revista Latinoamericana de Conservación [Latin American Journal of Conservation] (in Spanish). 2 (1): 51−59.
  10. ↑ Arias-Alzate, A.; Sánchez-Londoño, J.D.; Botero-Cañola, S. & González-Maya, J.F. (2014). "Recent confirmed records of the Oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus) in the department of Antioquia, Colombia". Notas Mastozoológicas. 1 (2): 4−5. doi: 10.47603/manovol1n2.4-5 .
  11. ↑ Leyhausen, P. (1979). Cat behaviour. The predatory and social behaviour of domestic and wild cats. Translated by Tonkin, B. A. New York: Garland STPM Press. ISBN   978-0-8240-7017-5.
  12. 1 2 Nowell, K. & Jackson, P. (1996). The Wild Cats: A Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. Gland: IUCN.
  13. ↑ Quillen, P. (1981). "Hand-rearing the little spotted cat or oncilla". International Zoo Yearbook. 21: 240–242. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1090.1981.tb01994.x.
  14. ↑ Lucherini, M.; Eizirik, E.; de Oliveira, T.; et al. (2016). "Leopardus colocolo". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T15309A97204446. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  15. ↑ do Nascimento, F.O.; Feijó, A. (2017). "Taxonomic revision of the tigrina Leopardus tigrinus (Schreber, 1775) species group (Carnivora, Felidae)". Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia. 57 (19): 231–264. doi: 10.11606/0031-1049.2017.57.19 .
  16. ↑ Trindade, Fernanda J.; Rodrigues, Maíra R.; Figueiró, Henrique V.; Li, Gang; Murphy, William J.; Eizirik, Eduardo (2021). "Genome-Wide SNPS Clarify a Complex Radiation and Support Recognition of an Additional Cat Species". Molecular Biology and Evolution. 38 (11): 4987–4991. doi:10.1093/molbev/msab222. PMC   8557425 . PMID   34320647.
  17. 1 2 Foreman, G. E., ed. (1988). "Felid bibliography 1781-1988". Columbus, Ohio: Felid Research and Conservation Interest Group: 34–72.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  18. ↑ Fuller, K.S. & Swift, B. (1985). Latin American Wildlife Trade Laws. Washington, DC: Traffic (USA).
  19. ↑ Eizirik, E.; Trigo, T. C. & Haag, T. (2007). "Conservation genetics and molecular ecology of Neotropical felids". In Hughes, J. & Mercer, R. (eds.). Felid Biology and Conservation Conference 17–19 September. Oxford, UK: WildCRU. pp. 40–41.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.