Evolutionary history of Asian golden cat and bay cat

What is it about?

Two small cat species of a genus Catopuma diverged in Pliocene-Pleistocene. Evolution of these cats has been driven by glacial-interglacial periods and consequently changes in habitat makes one of the species restricted on Borneo- the habitat specialist bay cat. While the Asian golden cat is generalists and adapted to more various habitat is distributed across Southeast Asia but Borneo.

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Why is it important?

It is essential to know species evolutionary history to understand its temporary distribution and need for specific habitat. this helps biologists and conservationists to understand the threats to the species. Moreover, it is also important to know the genetic structure and evolutionary taxonomic unit of the species which require molecular genetic studies. It is very hard to get blood or tissue samples for protected species like the Asian golden cat and the bay so we use non-invasive samples such as museum skull and skeleton tissue to extract DNA. With use of advanced sequencing technolgy, we could infer molecular evolution of these species from mitogenomes.