Craniometric and microsatellite genetic differentiation among putative ocelot subspecies (Leopardus pardalis)throughout Latin America

Several taxonomic classifications have been proposed for the ocelot, but almost all ofthem were based on non-molecular genetics studies. Herein, we analyzed 294 ocelotsfrom Guatemala, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, French Guiana, Ecuador, Peru,Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay for 10 microsatellite loci as well as 118 skulls forbiometrics analyses. Our genetics and craniometrical data results did not support the threeclassificatory schemes we analyzed and tested (Allen, 1919; Murray and Gardner, 1997;Eizirik et al., 1998). It seems clear that the albescens form from Southern Texas andnorthern Mexico is a defined subspecies as is pardalis in Central America. However, ourmolecular analyses did not determine important levels of genetic heterogeneity among alarge fraction of the putative ocelot subspecies in South America. Therefore, previouslydefined subspecies such as aequatorialis, pseudopardalis, melanura and steinbachi couldbe assigned to a unique subspecies, pseudopardalis. In contrast, the craniometric analysisdifferentiated steinbachi from the other South America putative ocelot subspecies. Thiswas mostly likely due to the smaller skull size of the steinbachi individuals analyzed. It'spossible that the southern South America form, mitis could belong to the aequatorialis,pseudopardalis, melanura and steinbachi group. If so, then this group should be definedas mitis. Additional genetics and morphometric studies are especially needed todetermine the taxonomic status of pusaea, mitis, nelsoni and sonoriensis.