Jaguarundi

The common name "jaguarundi" comes from the Old Guarani word , similar to the Old Tupi word , meaning "dark jaguar". The name is pronounced or . In some Spanish-speaking countries, the jaguarundi is also called , , , and . ==Taxonomy==

In 1803 Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire described two jaguarundi skins and skulls from unknown locations in Central America and proposed the scientific name Felis yagouarundi. In the 19th and 20th centuries, several more zoological specimens were described: • F. cacomitli proposed by Jean-Louis Berlandier in 1859 was a skull and a grayish skin of a female jaguarundi from the Rio Grande area in Mexico. • F. yagouaroundi tolteca proposed by Oldfield Thomas in 1898 was a skull and a reddish skin from Sinaloa in Mexico. • F. Ameghinoi proposed by Eduardo Ladislao Holmberg in 1898 for fossil cat bones, presumably of a jaguarundi, that were excavated near San Luis, Argentina. • F. fossata by Edgar Alexander Mearns in 1901 was a large jaguarundi skull from Yucatán. • F. panamensis by Joel Asaph Allen in 1904 was a dusky gray skin of a young adult female jaguarundi collected in Panama's Chiriquí Province. • F. yagouaroundi melantho by Oldfield Thomas in 1914 were skulls and blackish brown skins of a male and a female from Pozuzo District in Peru. The generic name Herpailurus was proposed by Nikolai Severtzov in 1858 for the jaguarundi. Later authors classified the jaguarundi in the genus Puma along with the cougar (P. concolor). Phylogeographical analysis of jaguarundi samples from across its range found no genetic evidence for subspecies. In 2017, the IUCN Cat Specialist Group revised felid taxonomy and recognises the jaguarundi as a monotypic taxon of the genus Herpailurus. Phylogeny and evolution }} }} The jaguarundi is most closely related to the cougar; the jaguarundi-cougar clade is sister to the cheetah. These three species comprise the Puma lineage, one of the eight lineages of Felidae; the Puma lineage diverged from the rest . The sister group of the Puma lineage is a clade of smaller Old World cats that includes the genera Felis, Otocolobus and Prionailurus. Acinonyx possibly diverged from the lineage in the Americas; some authors alternatively suggest that the cheetah diverged in the Old World. The Puma lineage appears to have migrated from Asia to North America after crossing the Bering Strait, arriving in South America via the Isthmus of Panama by the Late Pliocene or Early Pleistocene. This was possibly followed by the bifurcation of the lineage into the cougar and Herpailurus (represented by H. pumoides) in South America around between the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene. H. pumoides went extinct around Middle Pleistocene, around the time the modern jaguarundi came into existence; the oldest fossils of the modern jaguarundi date back to the Late Pleistocene in Brazil around . The original North American cougars were extirpated during the Pleistocene extinctions around 10,000 years ago; North America was then recolonized by South American cougars and jaguarundis 10,000–8,000 years ago. The extinct North American genus Miracinonyx is another member of this clade. ==Characteristics==

{{multiple image |direction=vertical |align= right |caption_align=center The jaguarundi is a medium-sized cat of slender build and uniform coloration that differs significantly from other neotropical cats—such as the small, spotted cats in the genus Leopardus—in its external appearance. This has been attributed to variations in its karyotype—the jaguarundi has 38 chromosomes, unlike the 36 in other small South American cats, and the chromosomal features resemble those of Old World cats such as the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). The head-and-body length is between ; the strong, muscular tail is long. Around twice as large as the domestic cat, the jaguarundi reaches nearly at the shoulder and weighs , though larger individuals weighing around have been reported. Males are slightly larger than females. Blackish brown individuals superficially resemble the tayra (Eira barbara), but the latter can be told apart by the clear, yellowish patch on the throat. The red morph is seen more often in dry, open areas. Melanistic individuals have been reported, but the coat is not completely black; the head and the throat are clearly paler than the rest of the body. The widely spaced ears are long without any spots on the back. The jaguarundi has a total of 30 teeth; the dental formula is . ==Distribution and habitat==

, Argentina The jaguarundi inhabits a wide variety of habitats, from tropical rainforests and deciduous forests to deserts and thorn scrubs. It can also be found in cloud forests, mangroves and savannas. The jaguarundi is noted for its resistance to environmental disturbances in its habitat; it can thrive in reforested areas. It is possibly extirpated in the United States; The last specimen collected in the U.S. was a roadkill near Brownsville, Texas, in 1986. It was declared extinct in Texas in 2025, but is thought to still be present in Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. Jaguarundis have been sighted in Florida since the early 20th century. Their presence there is attributed to a writer from Chiefland who at some point imported the animals from their native habitat and released them near his hometown and in other locations across the state. While no physical evidence is known, numerous credible sightings have been reported beginning in 1907. In 1977, W. T. Neill noted that reliable sightings had decreased and concluded that the population had declined. Jaguarundis have also been reported in the coastal area of Alabama since the 1980s, which may be evidence of the Florida population migrating northward. The jaguarundi has also been recorded in Cerro Largo in Uruguay, where its presence was doubted. ==Behavior and ecology==

The jaguarundi is shy and reclusive, and apparently very cautious of traps. The cat appears to be more diurnal than most other cats, especially spotted cats that tend to be more active at night. Marking behavior could serve as a means of olfactory or visual communication among jaguarundis; individuals in captivity have been observed scraping areas with their hind feet (sometimes with urination), clawing on logs, rubbing objects with their heads and leaving feces uncovered. Social behavior such as grooming, growling and sniffing has been recorded. The jaguarundi has a broad vocal repertoire; 13 different calls have been recorded including chattering, purring, screaming, a 'wah-wah' call, whistling, yapping and a peculiar bird-like chirp. In captivity, females in estrus have been observed making faint sounds as they scent mark the area around their enclosures. Jaguarundis will also take larger prey such as domestic poultry, fish, marmosets, rabbits and opossums; a study recorded small deer (possibly carrion) in the diet. Vegetation such as grasses have also been recorded in their diet. The broad array of prey recorded for the jaguarundi across its range and varying proportions of different prey in its diet could indicate that the cat tends to feed on the most abundant and easily catchable prey in the area. Reproduction Jaguarundis have been observed mating all year round, with peaks at different times of the year across the range; for instance, in Mexico breeding peaks in January and March. Estrus lasts three to five days, marked by the female regularly rolling onto her back and spraying urine. Sexually mature males will pursue the female, not reacting to any aggressive behavior from her side. As in many other felids, the male bites the fur on the female's neck on mounting; the female lets out a loud scream on penetration. After a gestation period of 70 to 75 days, a litter of one to four kittens is born in a den constructed in a dense thicket, hollow tree, or similar cover. The kittens are covered well with fur and the underside is marked with spots, which disappear as they age; the coat color gradually changes as the kittens grow older. The mother starts bringing solid food for the kittens when they are around three weeks old, but they simply play with it until the mother ultimately ingests it. Kittens are capable of taking solid food like birds and guinea pigs at around six weeks. Jaguarundis become sexually mature at one to three years of age. Lifespan up to 15 years has been recorded in captivity. ==Threats and conservation==

zoo, Czech Republic The jaguarundi has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2002. Mexican populations, except those in the northeast, appear to be stable. The huge protected areas in the Amazon Basin are probably the only conservation units that can sustain long-term viable populations. IUCN Red List assessors noted that it should be listed as Near Threatened, but the data were not sufficient to extend this classification throughout the jaguarundi's range. Populations in Mexico are listed under the Mexican Official Norm NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010. Hunting jaguarundi is restricted in Peru and banned in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Uruguay, United States, and Venezuela. ==References==