# Checklist and Review of Population Genetic Studies with Molecular Markers Applied to the Wild Cat Species Present in Colombia for Conservation Purposes

## TL;DR

This paper reviews population genetic studies of wild cats in Colombia to guide conservation efforts for these ecologically important species.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive checklist and review of population genetic studies on seven wild cat species in Colombia and Latin America.

## Key findings

- Jaguars show high genetic diversity in the Amazon basin but lower diversity in Mexico and the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.
- Colombia is well-represented in genetic studies for jaguars, pumas, and ocelots but lacks data for tigrinas and Pampas cats.
- The tigrina and Pampas cat require more molecular studies to clarify their taxonomy and support conservation planning.

## Abstract

Felines are of vital importance from a biological conservation perspective because they play a crucial role in the food chains of the ecosystems they inhabit, in addition to being iconic organisms greatly admired by humans. Colombia, one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, is home to at least seven species of wild cats. For this country, the biological conservation of these felines is a vital objective. One of the most important aspects for the conservation of these species is having a comprehensive understanding of their population genetics, as well as a clear systematic classification of these feline species. Here we review all the phylogeographic and population genetic studies that have been carried out with these seven species of felines (jaguar, puma, jaguarundi, ocelot, margay, tigrina, and Pampas cat) in Latin America (including Colombia) to determine which geographic areas and population genetic aspects are already known about these felines and which are still to be determined and which are essential for, both in Colombia and in Latin America, effective conservation programs for these admired and fascinating creatures that are wild cats.

At least seven species of wild cats inhabit Colombia, and these species are also distributed throughout Mexico, Central America, and the rest of South America (jaguar, puma, jaguarundi, ocelot, margay, tigrina, and Pampas cat). A checklist and review of phylogeographic and population genetic studies on these seven wild cat species has been conducted here, as this information is vital for effective conservation programs. The jaguar is the feline species on which the most population genetic studies have been carried out in the Neotropics. In general, little genetic structure has been found at a macro-geographic scale. Genetic diversity is high in countries such as Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia, and generally throughout the Amazon basin. However, genetic diversity is more moderate or even significantly lower in Mexico and the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Much of the genetic research on the jaguar has focused on Brazil, Mexico, and Belize, but Colombia is also very well represented in these studies. However, there is a complete or very pronounced lack of data in other areas such as Venezuela, the Guianas, some Central American countries, Paraguay, and northern Argentina. After the jaguar, the most studied feline in Neotropics from a population genetics perspective is the puma. In North America, this species has low genetic diversity, while the diversity in Central America is moderate, and South America is where genetic diversity is highest. The countries best represented in these studies are Brazil (southern of the country), Mexico, Belize, and Argentina. However, countries like Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Paraguay are very poorly represented in puma genetic studies. Very few genetic studies have been conducted on the jaguarundi, despite its vast geographic distribution. In northern Mexico, its genetic diversity is very low, but in countries like Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia, genetic diversity is very high. Colombia is probably the country where jaguarundis have been genetically studied most extensively. The third wild cat species with the most molecular studies in Neotropics is the ocelot, although it lags considerably behind jaguars and pumas. Its genetic diversity is low in Texas and northern Mexico, but very high, especially in countries surrounding the Amazon basin. A good number of macro-geographic studies have been conducted on the ocelot, and these studies are very representative of ocelots in countries such as Colombia (probably the best represented country), Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Panama, and Costa Rica. However, there are other countries where molecular studies of the ocelot have not been carried out, such as Paraguay and Argentina, with the lack of such studies in Brazil being particularly noteworthy. Very few molecular studies have been conducted on the margay. In general, its genetic diversity is very high in all the studies performed. Colombia, Peru and Bolivia are very well represented, but the lack of molecular studies in Mexico, much of Central America, and South American countries such as Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina is striking. The tigrina is one of the Neotropical wild cat species that requires the most molecular studies to unravel its complex systematics. Only the southern Brazilian tigrina (Leopardus guttulus), which was elevated to a new species, has generated comprehensive molecular information. Molecular studies of the Andean tigrina have revealed a very complex picture that, at present, does not allow us to know exactly how many species or taxa inhabit that area of South America and, therefore, to develop a conservation program that adequately correlates with that number of taxa. Finally, in the case of the Pampas cat, molecular studies are well represented with specimens from Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. Studies are needed in Paraguay, and especially in Ecuador and southern Colombia (assuming a stable population of Pampas cats exists in the latter country), where even at the molecular level, the specific taxon (one species or five species) present has not yet been determined. All this information is essential for developing effective regional and global conservation programs for these magnificent creatures. In Colombia, the development of molecular studies with the puma, the tigrina, and the Pampas cat is of special interest.