New Bolivian Cat Species Discovered
A small, spotted cat found in Bolivia sparked a scientific mystery that led to the proposal of a new species, Leopardus tilcayo. The animal was first noticed by biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz in 2017 after a local man had taken the kitten home and cared for it for about a year. The cat’s compact face, rounded ears, long whiskers and bold leopard-like spots set it apart from ordinary housecats.
Nogales-Ascarrunz initially thought the cat was a Leopardus tigrinus, a small tiger-cat species common in Central and South America. In 2019 she compared photographs of the Bolivian cat with a reference tiger-cat image from Brazil and saw that the rosettes were noticeably larger. This prompted a genetic study with Eduardo Eizirik and Jonas Lescroart, which placed the animal as distinct enough to be a new species. The name Leopardus tilcayo comes from a traditional local name.
The discovery shows that even well-studied regions can still hide new species, and that other tilcayos may still be moving quietly in Bolivia’s misty Yungas forests.
Key takeaways
- Leopardus tilcayo is a newly proposed species discovered in Bolivia.
- The cat was first seen by biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz in 2017.
- Its larger rosettes and genetic data distinguished it from Leopardus tigrinus.
- The species name derives from a local traditional name.
- Other tilcayos may still exist in Bolivia’s Yungas forests.
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Originally reported by iHeartCats. Read the full article.
Cover photo by winrood lee via Pexels.
