Genetic Variability and Biochemical Systematics of Domestic and Wild Cat Populations (Felis silvestris: Felidae)

Abstract

Genetic variability and phylogenetic relationships among domestic and wild populations of cats were studied by allozyme electrophoresis. Tissues were obtained from 67 specimens of European wild cats (Felis silvestris silvestris), African wild cats (F. s. libyca), and domestic cats from Italy; 54 presumptive loci were resolved. The average proportion of polymorphic loci and heterozygosity were P̄ = 0.11, H̄ = 0.042 in the wild cat, and P̄ = 0.20, H̄ = 0.066 in the domestic cat. Despite reduced genetic variability, local populations of wild cats were not inbred, as indicated by nonsignificant FIS values. Both FST and Nei's genetic distances between domestic and wild populations were low (F̄ST = 0.04; D̄ = 0.0082). Dendrograms indicate that the domestic cat belongs to the African wild cat lineage, which supports current hypotheses on cat domestication. Based on the genetic evidence, we suggest that the European wild cat, the African wild cat, and the domestic cat belong to the same polytypic species (Felis silvestris Schreber, 1777), and that the European and African wild cats diverged approximately 20,000 years ago.