Lecture 34 Evolution & Domestication - Cats Flashcards
(31 cards)
Cats are in the order ___ and family ___
Carnivora > Felidae
Two subfamilies of felids are:
- Pantherinae
- Felinae
Tigers, lions, jaguars, and leopards are in the group
Pantherinae < Felidae < Carnivora
Domestic cats, cougars, cheetahs, servals, lynxes, caracal, and ocelots are in the group
Felinae < Felidae < Carnivora
Cats have ___ claws
Protractable
Common ancestor of Pantherinae and Felinae is
Pseudaelurus
Extinct subfamily of Felidae is
Machairodontinae (saber-tooth cats)
Smilodon, Machairodus, and Homotherium are
3 genera of the extinct subfamily Machairodontinae
Wild felids are native to every continent except
Australia and Antarctica
Felids share a genetic anatomy that
Prevents them from tasting sweetness
Taste buds are
Receptors that bind proteins
Sweet receptors are made of
2 proteins encoded by 2 genes (TAS1R2 and TAS1R3)
In felids, TAS1R2 lacks
247 base pairs (ie. amino acids) causing the sweet receptor to not form
The tail of cats is between
1/3 to 1/2 the length of the body
Skull of cats is ___ and the muzzle is ___
Highly domed; short
Cat skulls have (3):
-wide zygomatic arches
-large sagittal crest
-strong masticatory (chewing) muscles
Two examples of cats that interbreed with their wild cousins
-Bengal
-Savannah
The Savannah cat is
Illegal in Australia
Wild cats were attracted to human settlements by
Mice and rats
Felis silvestris catus
Domestic cat
Analyses of mitochondrial DNA determined that all domestic cats are
Descended from the New Eastern Wildcat (Felis sylvestris lybica)
Genetically pure cats are
Rare and almost extinct because they reproduce with domestic cats
Most frequently mummified animal is
The cat
Development of tabby patterning in cats was used to
Better camouflage in forests