New species of leopard with largest fangs in cat world discovered
by FIONA MACRAE - More by this author ยป Last updated at 16:51pm on 15th March 2007
This clouded leopard which feasts on monkeys, deer and pigs has been discovered living deep in the Borneo rain forest.
Long thought to be identical to the clouded leopards living on mainland South East Asia, genetic analysis has shown that the Bornean big cat is in fact a separate species.
Scientists have counted at least 40 key differences in the DNA of the two felines - making the two species of clouded leopard almost as different as a lion is to a tiger.
Some of the differences are clear to the naked eye, with the elliptical spots or 'clouds' which give it its name, being smaller and darker on the island variety.
The Bornean clouded leopard also has darker fur than its mainland cousin.
Dr Andrew Kitchener, of National Museums Scotland, said: "The moment we started comparing the skins of the mainland clouded leopard with the leopard found on Borneo, it was clear we were comparing two different species.
"It's incredible that no one has ever noticed these differences."
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Labels: new+species+leopard+discovered
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