Prionailurus bengalensis ssp. iriomotensis
| Kingdom |
Phylum |
Class |
Order |
Family |
| ANIMALIA |
CHORDATA |
MAMMALIA |
CARNIVORA |
FELIDAE |
| Scientific Name: |
Prionailurus bengalensis ssp. iriomotensis
|
| Species Authority: |
Imaizumi, 1967 |
Common Name/s:
| English |
– |
Iriomote Cat |
| French |
– |
Chat D'Irimote |
| Spanish |
– |
Gato D'Irimote |
|
| Synonym/s: |
Mayailurus iriomotensis Imaizumi, 1967
Prionailurus iriomotensis (Imaizumi, 1967)
|
| Taxonomic Notes: |
Originally described as a distinct species based on morphology (Imaizumi 1967), based on genetic analysis the Iriomote Cat is considered a subspecies of Leopard Cat (Masuda and Yoshida 1995, Johnson et al. 1999, Eizirik et al. submitted). |
Assessment Information
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| Red List Category & Criteria: |
Critically Endangered
C2a(ii)
ver 3.1
|
| Year Published: |
2008 |
| Assessor/s: |
Izawa, M. |
| Reviewer/s: |
Nowell, K., Breitenmoser-Wursten, C., Breitenmoser, U. (Cat Red List Authority) & Schipper, J. (Global Mammal Assessment Team) |
| Contributor/s: |
|
Justification:
Found only on small (284 km²) Japanese island of Iriomote, which consists predominantly of low mountains (300-460 m) with sub-tropical evergreen forest, including extensive belts of mangrove along the waterways. However, studies have shown Iriomote cats to prefer lower elevations, a mosaic of wetland, streams, small hills - which are also where the human settlements are (Izawa et al. 2002). Home range sizes have ranged from 1.4-5.8 km² (Schmidt et al. 2003). The population was estimated at around 100 (99-110) individuals in 1994. While the population was considered stable since monitoring began in 1982 (Izawa et al. 2002), researchers now think the population is declining due to accelerated rates of lowland habitat loss over the past decade, and are working to estimate the level of decrease (M. Izawa pers. comm. May 2008). Listed as Endangered on Japan's 2002 national Red List (Izawa et al. 2007), concern over a decreasing population trend warrants listing of the Iriomote Cat on the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered, as the population size is fewer than 250, is declining, and consists of a single subpopulation.
|
| History: |
| 1996 |
– |
Endangered
|
| 1996 |
– |
Endangered
|
| 1994 |
– |
Endangered
(Groombridge 1994)
|
| 1990 |
– |
Endangered
(IUCN 1990)
|
| 1988 |
– |
Endangered
(IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988)
|
| 1986 |
– |
Endangered
(IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)
|
|
Geographic Range
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Population
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| Population Trend: |
Decreasing
|
Habitat and Ecology
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Conservation Actions
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| Conservation Actions: |
Listed on CITES Appendix II (as Prionailurus iriomotensis).
|
