Profelis Severtzov 1858

Profelis Severtzov 1858, Rev. Mag. Zool. Paris, ser. 2, 10: 386.

Type Species: Felis celidogaster Temminck 1827

Synonyms: Chrysailurus Severtzov 1858 .

Species and subspecies: 1 species with 2 subspecies:

Species Profelis aurata (Temminck 1827)

Subspecies Profelis aurata subsp. aurata Temminck 1827

Subspecies Profelis aurata subsp. cottoni Lydekker 1907

Discussion: Placed as a subgenus of Felis by McKenna and Bell (1997). There is considerable controversy with the relationship of Profelis to other cats. Some follow Pocock (1917 a) and unite it with Catopuma (Bininda-Emonds et al., 1999; Collier and O'Brien, 1985; Herrington, 1986; Weigel, 1961). Others consider Profelis closely related to Caracal (Johnson and O’Brien, 1997; Mattern and McLennan, 2000).