Research overview: hybridization zones among Leopardus species

A striking feature of the Leopardus radiation is extensive hybridization where species ranges meet, complicating taxonomy. This overview surveys documented hybrid zones, such as between the southern tigrina and Geoffroy's cat, and evidence of past gene flow involving the pampas cat. It explains how such reticulation blurs species boundaries and can transfer mitochondrial lineages across species, misleading single-marker classifications. The piece discusses how recognizing these hybrid zones reshaped understanding of small Neotropical cat evolution, revealing a web of gene flow rather than cleanly separated species. It connects to the broader theme that hybridization pervades felid evolution, from big cats to small ones, and that detecting it requires multi-locus and genomic data. The Leopardus group exemplifies how recent, rapid radiations produce species that remain partially interfertile.