In 2013, scientists discovered that two populations of Oncilla / Tigrina previously thought to be one species do not, in fact, interbreed and thus are distinct species.

Researchers suggested that the northeastern Oncilla retain its current name of Leopardus tigrinus, while the southern Tigrina be named Leopardus guttulus. Their common names have also been changed, and they are no longer referred to as oncilla or tigrina.

Please see our new facts sheets for each species:

Northern Tiger Cat – Leopardus tigrinus

Southern Tiger Cat – Leopardus guttulus

 

The northern tiger cat has a pale yellow to slightly ochraceous base color, which is marked by small dots that tend to form an open rosette. The southern tiger cat, on the other hand, shows a more ochraceous or yellowish-brown ground color, with open rosettes that are slightly larger and rounder than the former’s. Melanism is common in both species. The northern tiger cat has a lighter build, often seeming to have a slender body, legs and tail. The southern tiger cat, on the other hand, tends to look slightly bulkier, with a thicker tail and smaller rounder ears. Nevertheless, individuals of both species can diverge from their norm and some cats can be quite confusing.

Source: IUCN Cat Specialist Group

8 Responses

  4. Pat Bumstead
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    Actually there are no activities working to save these cats. There are no scientific field studies on them so we don’t know if their population is large or small. They live in rainforest areas so as long as the forest is not cut down, we hope their population is healthy.

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