The systematic status of the Iriomote cat (Prionailurus iriomotensis Imaizumi 1967) and the subspecies of the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis Kerr 1792)

The taxonomic status of the Iriomote cat ( Prionailurus iriomotensis Imaizumi 1967) has been the subject of considerable discussion. Wozencraft's (1993) decision that it is merely a subspecies of Prionailurus bengalensis has been adopted by IUCN, which may affect the chances of conserving this unique animal. This paper reports on an investigation into the relationship between the Iriomote cat and other species, using skull measurements to calculate skull configurations, from which species and subspecies may be compared with each other. The results prove that the Iriomote cat cannot be subsumed as a subspecies of Prionailurus bengalensis but is a species of its own. It is closely related to the genus Prionailurus but also has affinities with the genera Pardofelis and Profelis . It appears to be a very ancient species, a 'missing link', nearer to the common root of the cat tribe than any other extant species.