Thescientific nameNeofelis is a composite of theGreek wordneo- (νέος) meaning 'young' and 'new', and theLatin wordfēlēs meaning 'cat'.[4][5] It is placed as part of the subfamilyPantherinae, making it more closely related to the genusPanthera (which contains iconicbig cats like the lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar) than other living felid species.
Gray described the genusNeofelis as having an elongateskull, a broad and rather produced face on the same plane as the forehead, a large and elongatenasal, a moderateorbit, a truncated lower jaw and very long conical upper and lower canine teeth with a sharp cutting hinder edge. This skull has resemblances to that of the fossilSmilodon, with very much elongated upper canines.[6] Pocock described the skull ofNeofelis as recalling in general features that ofPanthera pardus, especially in the shortness and wide separation of the frontal and malarpostorbital processes, relative proportion ofmandibular teeth; but differing in the greater posterior width of the nasals, the thicker, more salient inferior edge of the orbit, and the mandible being greatly elevated anteriorly.[7] As a result of this unusual skull anatomy, neofelids have a maximum gape of approximately 90 degrees, the biggest of extantcarnivora, a trait shared by the extinctMachairodontinae subfamily.[9]
The Sunda clouded leopard has longer uppercanine teeth and a narrowerpalate between them.[10]
Between 1821 and 1862, several felids have been described fromSoutheast Asia that are subordinated underNeofelis today:
Felis nebulosa was first described in 1821 byEdward Griffith based on a specimen brought fromGuangdong in southernChina.[13] Populations range from the Himalayan foothills in Nepal through mainland Southeast Asia into China.[12]
Felis diardi was first described in 1823 byGeorges Cuvier based on a skin and a drawing received from Java.[14] The Sunda clouded leopard is probably restricted to the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.[2] In Java only clouded leopard fossils were found.[15]
Leopardus brachyurus was first described in 1862 byRobert Swinhoe based on two to three skins from Taiwan.[16] Today theFormosan clouded leopard is considered a clouded leopard subspeciesNeofelis nebulosa brachyurus.[17] It is now considered to beextinct.[18]
Deforestation is the foremost threat for bothNeofelis species.[12] They are also threatened by commercialpoaching for thewildlife trade. Skins, claws and teeth are offered for decoration and clothing, bones and meat as substitute fortiger intraditional Asian medicines and tonics, and live animals for the pet trade. Few poaching incidents have been documented, but all range states are believed to have some degree of commercial poaching. In recent years, substantial domestic markets existed inIndonesia,Myanmar andVietnam.[19]
^abPocock, R. I. (1917)."The classification of existing Felidae".The Annals and Magazine of Natural History: Including Zoology, Botany, and Geology, 8th ser. vol. 20 no. 119: 329–350.
^Pocock, R. I. (1939)."Neofelis".The fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Vol. Mammalia. – Volume 1. London: Taylor and Francis. pp. 247–253.
^abcdNowell, K. & Jackson, P. (1996)."Clouded Leopard".Wild Cats: status survey and conservation action plan. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group. Archived fromthe original on 2012-04-06.
^Griffith, E. (1821). "Felis nebulosa".General and particular descriptions of the vertebrated animals: arranged conformably to the modern discoveries and improvements in zoology. Vol. Volume 1: Order Carnivora. London: Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, Rodwell and Martin, W. Wood. p. Plate 37.
^Cuvier, G. (1823). "Chapitre V. Des Ossemens de Grands Félis".Recherches sur les ossemens fossiles; ou, l'on retablit les caracteres de plusiers animaux dont les revolutions du globe ont detruit les especes. Vol. Volume IV: Les Ruminans et les Carnassiers Fossiles. Paris: G. Dufour & E. d'Ocagne. pp. 407−456.
^Swinhoe, R. (1862). "On the Mammals of the Island of Formosa".Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London:347–365.
^Ellerman J. R. & Morrison-Scott, T. C. S. (1966)."GenusNeofelis Gray, 1867".Checklist of Palaearctic and Indian mammals 1758 to 1946. London: Trustees of the British Museum. pp. 314–315.
