Craniological differentiation amongst wild‐living cats in Britain and southern Africa: natural variation or the effects of hybridisation?

摘要: The natural morphological variation in the wildcat, Felis silvestris , and changes possibly caused by introgressive hybridisation with domestic cat, F. catus were examined, based on up to 39 variables concerning cranial morphology. samples of wild-living cats originated from Scotland southern Africa consisted both classical wildcat other pelage types. Principal component cluster analyses suggested that occurred areas, consequence characteristics local populations had been altered terms frequencies occurrence certain characters, especially those capacity. In regions clustering patterns can be interpreted as containing four main groups. One these mainly ‘non-wildcats’ groups furthest ‘non-wild’ highest proportion ‘wildcats’ ( c. 80%). We propose where a population is heavily introgressed, only feasible way define basis inter-correlated features conservationists must take population-based approach assess extent introgression. This may provide an operational standard for assessing impact between wildcats throughout species' range; it suggests Scottish critically endangered.