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Puzachenko, A.Y.
Hybrid syndrome and method for indentification of hybrids in museum collections of _Felis silvestris _and _Felis libyca_
2002  S„ugetierkundliche Informationen (5): 242-248

During a long history of research of a variability of wild _(Felis silvestris _Schreb.) and African _(F. libyca _Forst.) cats, there have been two opposite points of view on their taxonomic status. Some of the researchers have categorically selected two to three independent species, morphologically isolated from each other (OGNEV, 1935; NOVIKOY 1956; GROMOV et al., 1963; Genetica koshki, 1993). Other researchers have included all forms in the uniform politypical species or superspecies (GEPTNER, SLUDSKI, 1972; RAGNI, RANDI, 1986). Really, the likeness of a skull between wild and steppe cats has been marked repeatedly (review of a problem: GEPTNER, SLUDSKI, 1972; the multivariate analysis of a variability in RAGNI, RANDI, 1986). The authentic distinctions are marked on some treats of a skull and on a structure of thympanic bulla. On the whole the morphological similarity of skulls of the considered forms is so great, that the common methods of statistical analysis, as a rale, appear to be little effective for their discrimination (RAGNI, RANDI, 1986). Here, we shall mention that between wild, steppe and domestic cats, as well as for other species from genus _Felis, _there is free, hybridisation and fertility of hybrids (POBINSON, 1993). According to modern investigations, documented by archaeological data, the domestic form was originated in the north-east Africa from "dun" African cats _F. libyca _(GEPTNER, SLUDSKI, 1972; GINSBURG et al., 1992). A hypothesis about polytipical origin of domestic cats from _F. silvestris _and _F. libyca _(including the eastern form "_F. ornata_=_libyca_ Gray") was subjected to repeated criticism (GEPTNER, SLUDSKI, 1972; GEPTNER, MATUSHKIN, 1972; Genetica koshki, 1993). In my opinion, it is necessary to distinguish the history of the cats' domestication in north-east Africa from the history of the recent forms of domestic cats, which can include genetic pull from other species of the genus _Felis. _In this case, the most probable applicant for involvement in modern domestic cats in Europe is the wild cat, and at first its western subspecies _F. s. silvestris_ (PUZACHENKO, 1993). As a base for an indirect test of the hypothesis of origination of complicated domestic cats we can consider results of the comparative analysis of hybrids between domestic and wild or African cats. On the other hand, such analysis can give an additional data on morphological differentiation in _F. libyca _and _F. silvestris._

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