Here’s the mystery Friday feline for this week:
As with the others I think it may prove hard to find good diagnostic characters, but hopefully something will come to light! Good luck!
Zygoma
Adventures in natural history collections
Here’s the mystery Friday feline for this week:
As with the others I think it may prove hard to find good diagnostic characters, but hopefully something will come to light! Good luck!
Zygoma 
Is it irrelevant or is that a very narrow skull?
It is rather narrow!
That dainty nose seems key. This isn’t Felis, is it? Same size as one though. Is this chap named after mountains? Perhaps suffered a change from monotypic Genus to being grouped with others? Old genus began with an O?
Not Felis, but also hasn’t changed from monotypic status…
Slightly larger than the last FMO feline.
I have one in mind from Africa, which I think is about the right size, but can’t find an image with a scale bar for comparison.
Serval?
Is it a Lynx species – I am torn between L. canadensis and L. rufus. Leaning towards L. rufus…
Maybe it’s a hybrid? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blynx
Not Lynx and not a hybrid I’m afraid!
Wow! Look at the thickening at the base of the foramen magnum! And that cranial dome!
Yeah, the dome is quite distinct and the formen magnum looks like it can deal with some serious loading!
Bobcat?
Nope.
Hmm, so dainty nose; prominent dome to the head; still monophyletic; … genus O*o*o*o*u*?
Monotypic, even. Doh!
Sorry, I wasn’t clear – it hasn’t changed from monotypic because it wasn’t considered monotypic!
I’m going to go with L. p**d***s, based on a combination of it’s molars, curved interpterygoid notch, and grooved canines. Although whether the general cranial shape fits is another matter altogether!
Nope, but you’re in the right ball park!
Is it a Margay?
Nope, but not far off!
I’d go with Leopardus wiedii, based on what I have access to.
Not quite, but pretty good!
Procyonidae … ??
No, definitely a cat.
Ocelot?
Geoffroy’s cat. Leopardus geoffroyi ??
Close! Both suggestions.
Is it an Onchilla?