Does polymorphism make the Asiatic golden cat the most adaptable predator in the Eastern Himalayas?
Open accessAbstract
Some wild felines have a diverse range of coat colors while others do not. Jaguars and leopards, for instance, come in spotted and melanistic forms but tigers are always striped and lions always beige. Smaller cats like clouded leopards, marbled cats, and ocelots are almost always patterned in the same way while jaguarundis, oncillas, and golden cats occur in several different colors and patterns. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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In wild populations, colour morphs tend to persist only when they confer some adaptive advantage.
“In wild populations, colour morphs tend to persist only when they confer some adaptive advantage.”
From Tiger colour morphs in zoos raise conservation and welfare concerns (2026) · cites this paper as [83]
The persistence of multiple colour morphs over time suggests that they must offer some evolutionary benefit; otherwise, according to evolutionary theory, such traits would likely be lost.
“As noted in a study of wild Asiatic golden cat (Catopuma temminckii) colour morphs, the persistence of multiple colour morphs over time suggests that they must offer some evolutionary benefit; otherwise, according to evolutionary theory, such traits would likely be lost [83].”
From Tiger colour morphs in zoos raise conservation and welfare concerns (2026) · cites this paper as [83]
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References 13 · Cited by 17
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- Dhendup, T. 2016. Status of Asiatic Golden Cat Catopuma tem- minckii Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 (Carnivora: Felidae) in Bhu- tan. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8:8698-8702.
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- Nijhawan, S. 2018. Human-animal relations and the role of cultural norms in tiger conservation in the Idu Mishmi of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Dissertation. University College London, London, UK.
- Ortolani, A., and T. M. Caro. 1996. The adaptive significance of color patterns in carnivores: phylogenetic tests of classic hypotheses. Pages 132-188 in J. Gittleman, editor. Carnivore behaviour, ecology and evolution. Volume 2. Cornell Univer- sity Press, Ithaca, New York, USA.
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- Additional supporting information may be found in the online version of this article at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/ 10.1002/ecy.2768/suppinfo · DOI
- Authors
- Nijhawan, S., Mitapo, I., Pulu, J., Carbone, C., & Rowcliffe, J. M.
- Affiliations
- Zoological Society of London (GB)
- Dibang Adventures Lower Dibang Valley Roing Arunachal Pradesh 792110 India
- Corresponding author
- Nijhawan, Sahil
- Venue
- Ecology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2019-06-20
- Volume
- 100
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- e02768-e02768
- ISSN
- 0012-9658 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-9170
- OpenAlex
- W2948287814
- Cited by
- 17
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3
- FWCI
- 0.95
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- discovery.ucl.ac.uk
- Locations
- Ecology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic diversity and population structure
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Keywords
- polymorphism, phenotypic plasticity, Eastern Himalaya
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Cats, India, Polymorphism, Genetic
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