Genome-wide signatures of complex introgression and adaptive evolution in big cats

This genomic study sequenced multiple Panthera species and found pervasive evidence that gene flow between lineages, not just simple branching, shaped big cat evolution. The authors detected introgressed regions, some implicated in adaptation, and showed that the history of lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, and snow leopards is reticulate rather than strictly tree-like. They also identified genes under selection related to traits such as metabolism and sensory function. For taxonomy, the findings reinforce that single-marker phylogenies can mislead when species have exchanged genes, and they help explain persistent conflicts in big cat trees. The work exemplifies how whole-genome data reframe species boundaries as porous, with implications for how we conceptualize Panthera species and their evolutionary independence.