Research overview: integrative taxonomy in the Felidae

Integrative taxonomy combines independent data classes (morphology, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, ecology, biogeography, and behavior) to delimit taxa, and it has become the standard for resolving cat classification. This overview explains how the approach guards against the errors of single-character taxonomy, such as splitting species on coat pattern or lumping them on overall similarity. It uses cases like the clouded leopard split, where pelage, craniometrics, and molecular markers agreed, versus contested cases where data conflict and caution prevails. The piece outlines the workflow the Cat Classification Task Force formalized: require concordant signals before changing rank. It also notes limits, including patchy genomic sampling for rare cats and the difficulty of obtaining ecological data, which keep some decisions provisional.