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Wikijunior:Big Cats/Classification

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Scientists classify all living things into different groups. This helps to see what some animals have in common and how related some animals are. It is like building a family tree for living things. They classify cats as well. All cats are in the family Felidae.

In English, a Puma may be called a cougar in one place or a mountain lion somewhere else. Animals also have different names in other languages like Russian, Greek and Spanish. To prevent confusion, scientists agree on a single Latin name for each animal. Some early humans did draw pictures of mammoths, mastodons, and European cave lions, but any common names for these extinct animals are forgotten. That's why many fossil big cats have an odd scientific name like Miraconyx inexpectatus instead of a short, graceful name like Cheetah.

Below is a list of the classification of the cats in this book.

Kingdom: Animalia (Animals)

Phylum: Chordata (Animals with spinal cords)
Subphylum: Vertebrata (Vertebrates)
Class: Mammalia (Mammals)
Order: Carnivora (most Carnivorous Mammals)
Family: Felidae (Cats)
Subfamily Acinonychinae
Genus Acinonyx
Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus
Subfamily Felinae
Genus Caracal
Caracal, Caracal caracal
Genus Felis
Wild Cat, Felis silvestris (of which the domestic cat is a subspecies)
Sand Cat, Felis margarita
Genus Herpailurus
Jaguarundi, Herpailurus yaguarondi
Genus Leopardus
Ocelot, Leopardus pardalis
Margay, Leopardus wiedii
Genus Leptailurus
Serval, Leptailurus serval
Genus Lynx
Eurasian Lynx, Lynx lynx
Iberian Lynx, Lynx pardinus
Canadian Lynx, Lynx canadensis
Bobcat, Lynx rufus
Genus Otocolobus
Pallas Cat, Otocolobus manul
Genus Prionailurus
Rusty-spotted Cat, Prionailurus rubiginosus
Genus Puma
Puma, Puma concolor
Subfamily Pantherinae
Genus Neofelis
Clouded Leopard, Neofelis nebulosa
Genus Panthera
Lion, Panthera leo
Tiger, Panthera tigris
Leopard, Panthera pardus
Jaguar, Panthera onca
Liger, Panthera × leogris (hybrid)
Tigon, Panthera × tigreo (hybrid)
Genus Pardofelis
Marbled Cat, Pardofelis marmorata
Genus Uncia
Snow Leopard, Uncia uncia


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Felidae

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