Leopardus guttulus. Photograph courtesy of Projeto Gatos Do Mato / Project Wild Cats Brazil
A new species of wild cat has been discovered in Brazil, with the tigrina actually being two distinct species.
Biologists had previously believed that the small housecat-sized leopards that are found in the north-east and south of Brazil were a single species, but DNA sequencing has shown that the tigrina is in fact two entirely different species.
A team of Brazilian researchers analysed the DNA and genomes from cats found in both locations and found no evidence of inbreeding between the two populations, with the southern feline now described as the Leopardus guttulus in contrast to the tigrinas from the north-east.
The Leopardus guttuls has a darker coat with larger spots, with researchers believing that the differences come from the cats adapting to better camouflage themselves in their environments. The tigrinas roam through open savannahs, whilst the Leopardus guttuls are found in the Atlantic forests.