ON THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION - D - THE LEOPARD (Panthera pardus)

[BorneanTiger]

(11-08-2018, 05:46 PM)brotherbear Wrote: https://conservewildcats.org/2018/05/01/...tion-2018/ 
 
Amur Leopard Population 2018 - not too good.

A good news is that, as per a revision of subspecies of felids like the leopard by the Cat Specialist Group in 2017 (Pages 73–75), the Amur and North Chinese leopards are the same subspecies (Panthera pardus orientalis), partly considering that they both inhabit northern China or northeastern Asia, meaning that P. p. orientalis numbers more than previously considered: https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/hand...sAllowed=y

(From top to bottom) Amur leopard at Colchester Zoo (by William Warby) vs North Chinese leopard at Tierpark Hellabrunn (by Rufus46): 

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

The CSG also said that the Sinai (Panthera pardus jarvisi) and Arabian leopards (Panthera pardus nimr) could be the same subspecies as African leopards (Panthera pardus pardus), and all other leopards in Asia and European Russia (which has Caucasian leopards (Panthera pardus ciscausia / tulliana)), including the Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera parsus kotiya), could be one subspecies (Panthera pardus fusca), with the exception of the Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas):

"Luo et al. (2014) published a further molecular study which included more samples from Indochina and the Malay Peninsula. The phylogeographical patterns are not clear for all putative subspecies. For example, P. p. kotiya is close to East Asian leopards based on mtDNA, but groups with P. p. fusca based on microsatellites (Uphyrkina et al. 2001). P. p. saxicolor also seems to group differently depending on the analysis used (Uphyrkina et al. 2001, Luo et al. 2014). Luo et al. 2014 show that P. p. fusca is diphyletic based on mtDNA, which was not found in previous studies. Khorozyan et al. (2006) analysed the skull morphometrics of southwest Asian leopards, and concluded that saxicolor and ciscaucasica were consubspecific, but retained tulliana and millardi as distinct. However, sample sizes were very small for some of these putative subspecies. Rozhnov et al. (2011) examined sequences of mtDNA (NADH5) and 11 microsatellites from southwest Asian leopards. They concluded that all were consubspecific from Afghanistan through Iran to the Caucasus, but no western Turkish specimens (tulliana) were analysed. Here japonensis is included in orientalis; there is no clear biogeographical barrier between these two forms which appear to form a cline in northeastern Asia. As the molecular differences between continental Asian leopards are very small compared to differences in Javan leopards (P. p. melas; Wilting et al. 2016), there could be a case for including all Asian subspecies, excluding melas, in a single Asian subspecies. These conflicting results from different studies suggest that more comprehensive sampling is required from throughout the range, taking advantage of museum specimens of known provenance. Until such a study is carried out, we propose the following conservative arrangement of subspecies:

Panthera pardus pardus (Linnaeus, 1758). Distribution: Africa. Comment: Although there are two principal mtDNA clades in Africa, they both occur in southern Africa and appear to be partly sympatric. Thus it would appear that no subspecies can be distinguished within Africa. However, more comprehensive sampling is needed.

Panthera pardus tulliana (Valenciennes, 1856; 1039), including ciscaucasica, saxicolor. Type locality: Ninfi, village situé à huit lieues est de Smyrne [near Izmir, Turkey]. Holotype: MNHN-ZM-MO-1849-20 mounted skin (skull inside). Distribution: Turkey, Caucasus, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Comment: This is the earliest name for leopards from South West Asia, and hence includes saxicolor and ciscaucasica. If tulliana proves to be distinct from other southwest Asian leopards, ciscaucasica is the earliest available name.

Panthera pardus fusca (Meyer, 1794). Distribution: Indian subcontinent, Burma and China.

Panthera pardus kotiya (Deraniyagala, 1949). Distribution: Sri Lanka.

Panthera pardus delacouri (Pocock, 1930b). Distribution: SE Asia and probably southern China

Panthera pardus orientalis (Schlegel, 1857), including japonensis. Distribution: Eastern Asia from Russian Far East to China.

Panthera pardus melas (Cuvier, 1809; 152). Distribution: Java. Comment: Distinct ancient island form (Meijaard 2004, Gippoliti & Meijaard 2007, Uphyrkina et al. 2001, Wilting et al. 2016).

Panthera pardus nimr (Hemprich and Ehrenberg, 1832). Distribution: Arabian Peninsula. Comment: Distinctively small form, but may prove to be consubspecific with subspecies pardus, although should be retained as a separate management unit if so."

As for Central Chinese leopards, like at Wolong Reserve in Sichuan, where they may attack sub-adult pandas, their exact taxonomic status is unclear, being alternatively grouped under the P. p. japonensis, P. p. delacouri (http://www.biosoil.ru/files/00001386.pdf), or even P. p. fusca (https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article...m=fulltext).

Stuffed leopard for testing pandas at Wolong Nature Reserve, Alamy: https://www.alamy.com/panda-keepers-take...47115.html

*This image is copyright of its original author

Brakefield noted that just as there is a North Chinese leopard, there is also a South Chinese leopard, which was "much more golden yellow" in colour, had shorter fur, and which people thought might be of the Indian (Panthera pardus fusca) or Indochinese (Panthera pardus delacouri) subspecies, or a subspecies of its own (possibly Panthera pardus sinensis), and Uphyrikina et al. said "Teeth of ancient leopards found in southern China and dated from the Middle of Pleistocene were similar to the recent subspecies P. p. sinensis; this led to the hypothesis of local evolution in eastern and southeastern Asia (Hemmer 1976)." Reply