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''Prionailurus'' is a genus of four species of small, spotted wild cats found in Asia.〔Johnson, W. E., Eizirik, E., Pecon-Slattery, J., Murphy, W. J., Antunes, A., Teeling, E., O'Brien, S. J. (2006) ''The late miocene radiation of modern felidae: A genetic assessment''. Science 311: 73-77.〕 They are typically forest-dwelling. Most are able to swim well; some species are actually semi-aquatic and feed mainly on fish and other aquatic animals. == Taxonomic history == ''Prionailurus'' was first proposed by the Russian explorer and naturalist Nikolai Severtzov in 1858 as a generic name for a single felid occurring in tropical Asia, namely ''Felis pardachrous'' described by Brian Houghton Hodgson — the leopard cat. As varieties, Severtzov lists ''Felis nipalensis'' described by Thomas Horsfield and Nicholas Aylward Vigors, ''Leopardus Elliotti'', ''Leopardus Horsfieldi'' and ''Leopardus chinensis'' described by John Edward Gray, and ''Felis bengalensis'' described by Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest.〔Severtzow, M. N. (1858). (''Notice sur la classification multisériale des Carnivores, spécialement des Félidés, et les études de zoologie générale qui s'y rattachent'' ). Revue et Magasin de Zoologie Pure et Appliquée 2e Série, T. X Séptembre 1858: 385–396.〕 The British zoologist Reginald Innes Pocock recognized the taxonomic classification of ''Prionailurus'' in 1917. In 1939, he described the genus on the basis of skins and skulls, and compared these to body parts of ''Felis''. ''Prionailurus'' species are marked with spots, which are frequently lanceolate, sometimes rosette-like, and occasionally tending to run into longitudinal chains, but never fusing to form vertical stripes as in ''Felis''. ''Prionailurus'' skulls are lower and less vaulted than ''Felis'', the facial portion is shorter than the cranial, the floor of the orbit is longer, the nasal bones are not everted above the anterior nares, the outer chamber of the bulla is much smaller than the inner. Pocock classified the leopard cat, rusty-spotted cat and fishing cat as belonging to the genus ''Prionailurus''.〔Pocock, R. I. (1939). (''The fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma.'' Mammalia. – Volume 1. ) Taylor and Francis, London.〕 Pocock's classification of ''Prionailurus'' is widely accepted as comprising: * Leopard cat (''Prionailurus bengalensis'') * Rusty-spotted cat (''Prionailurus rubiginosus'') * Fishing cat (''Prionailurus viverrinus'') * Flat-headed cat (''Prionailurus planiceps'') Molecular analysis of leopard cat populations indicates a clear distinction between northern populations from Tsushima, Korea, Siberia, China and Taiwan and southeast Asian populations. If these genetic differences indicate a specific distinction, ''P. b. euptilurus'' may yet be a valid species. The Iriomote cat (''Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis'') has been proposed as a distinct species based on morphology, but is considered a subspecies of ''P. bengalensis'' based on genetic analysis. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Prionailurus」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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