A species-level supertree of Carnivora with divergence-time estimates

This study built a comprehensive, dated phylogeny of the order Carnivora, placing the Felidae within the broader carnivoran tree and providing divergence times for cats relative to their relatives. By combining many source phylogenies into a single supertree and adding time calibration, the authors produced a resource widely used for comparative and macroevolutionary studies. For felid systematics, the work situates the cat family among feliform carnivores and offers consistent dates that complement family-specific phylogenies. It updated an earlier landmark carnivore supertree and incorporated newer molecular results. The paper is valuable because taxonomy and conservation prioritization increasingly use phylogenetic position and branch length, and a reliable order-level tree lets researchers place felid lineages in evolutionary context and identify distinct, isolated branches worth special attention.