Feasibility of using morphological features to discriminating wildcat (Felis lybica) and domestic cats and Challenges facing conservation of the species in Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Wildcat (Felis lybica/Felis silvestris) is one of the Felid species with worldwide distribution that is threatened by specific and potential threatening factor in addition to other human caused threats, i.e. crossbreeding with domestic cat and this issue has led to identification of wildcat in the field moreover conservation of the species to be encountered with some challenges.
Materials & Methods: In current study considering necessity to identify subspecies of wildcat in Iran also morphological investigations, we examined sequence variation of 814 bp of mitochondrial DNA NADH5 gene from 38 possible wildcat samples collected across Iran.
Result: Phylogenetic analyses represented wildcat in Iran divides into two subclades that in combination of worldwide sequences of wildcat, Iranian sequences placed between Asiatic wildcat and African wildcat/domestic cat. Using extant pictures of wildcat in this
study together with related protocols, feasibility of using morphological features to discriminating wild samples from domestic ones was examined, however considering of poor quality of photos without related details, no definite results were obtained in this regard.
Conclusion: To discriminating wildcat from domestic cat using morphological characteristics it is needed to have high quality pictures which cover various aspects of morphological features based on related protocols. Therefore, providing a protocol that helps us to identify wild samples from domestics or hybrids in the field is necessary. To conservation of wildcat we have to increase our knowledge about ecological requirements of the species, the situation and the rate of hybridization also effective environmental items on this process.