How did such evolutionary differences arise in the cat family?

[petrushka.googol]

Why are there such specializations in the genus Felis in terms of differences in size, vocal output, feeding habits, speed of locomotion etc. inspite of being so closely related in their gene pool?

 

Please advise.

[Greg H.]

Because those adaptations were especially advantageous in the environment that developed a given particular species. That's like asking why are there so many types of trees. Because what works in one geographic area may not work as well in another.

[chadn737]

Genetic variation. They may be similar at some level, but they still differ genetically and those differences account for the variation. These variations have been selected for over time or due to historical events, bottlenecks for example, have driven different populations towards their present day structure.

[arc]

When larger predators appeared it was due to their adaptation to the size of the prey they predominately selected to hunt. The earliest known feline, Proailurus (“early cat”), a bobcat-sized creature that weighed about 20 pounds, roamed Eurasia and Africa more than 34 million years ago. While some adapted to hunt larger prey most varieties stayed small, probably to take advantage of the cover that the local flora provided in concealment from predators and prey.

[delboy]

I see there are 5 species of Felis, but they all look reasonably similar to me.

[CirclesAndDots]

It is important to note that small and big are relative and relational terms. They're more social construction than natural fact. They're useful descriptions to organize reality, but I'm not so sure that "big" exists anymore than the number 2 does. (Platonists will take issue with this claim).

 

 

At any rate, we recognize variations of a phenotypic trait.( 'Tall' men, 'short' men, big cats, and small cats.) Variations of a trait can impact fitness. Bigness or smallness exists evolutionarily as a result of some selection/fitness differential. The breeding population of bobcats may consist of more small individuals than large ones. (Again, relative to the total population). If there is selection (a reproductive differential) for a trait at one end of a distribution of values, i.e. small bobcats produce comparatively more offspring than large bobcats then the population may evolve in that direction. Selection is but one mechanism of evolution. It is not synonymous with evolution. There can be selection in a population and no evolution.

 

Over time populations can become distinct/genetically divergent through geographic/reproductive isolation. Some critters may look similar, but can't interbreed, some may look quite different but can still interbreed. Where does one start drawing the line between them? What is a species? Do we define a species as individuals with shared, observable, characteristics or a group that can breed only among themselves?

 

Hopefully even this crude framework will help illuminate relevant evolutionary mechanisms that account for phenotypic distributions and highlight the conceptual difficulty of defining species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 17, 2014 by CirclesAndDots

[biscotti]

Because they were CREATED that way

[pwagen]

Because they were CREATED that way

Sorry, I think you may be lost. This is a science forum.

[Moontanman]

Because they were CREATED that way

 

 

Created by what? Do you have any empirical evidence to show us what created them?

Why are there such specializations in the genus Felis in terms of differences in size, vocal output, feeding habits, speed of locomotion etc. inspite of being so closely related in their gene pool?

 

Please advise.

 

 

I'm not sure what you mean by so closely related in their gene pool, why would you say they are any more closely related than any other group of similar animals? Feliformes are a branch of carnivora that share a common ancestor, please be more specific.

[hypervalent_iodine]

!

Moderator Note

Let's try and keep this on topic.

 

biscotti, this is a science forum and you are posting in the mainstream science section. As such, posts invoking religion or creationism are in appropriate. Even in our Religion forum, we do not allow preaching or the type of hit-and-run trollish post that you made. Try and keep this in mind if you plan on using SFN in the future.

[petrushka.googol]

I will break a tradition here and in contravention of posting norms express the dichotomy of the subject in verse :-

 

As regards Felis Tigris

 

Tiger Tiger burning bright,

In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye,

Could frame thy fearful symmetry.

 

As regards Felis domesticus

 

Kitty Kitty...

Why are you so pretty,

Night or Day....

I see you at play...

Pray tell me 'bout your inner laws...

And take care of that Paw!

 

Need I say more