Research overview: molecular-clock dating of felid divergences

Estimating when cat lineages split underpins much of felid systematics and biogeography. This overview explains how molecular clocks, calibrated with fossils, convert genetic distances into divergence dates, and why different genes, calibration points, and models yield ranges rather than single numbers. It summarizes the broad consensus that crown Felidae radiated through the late Miocene and Pliocene, with island and continental forms diverging more recently in the Pleistocene. The piece discusses pitfalls: incomplete lineage sorting and introgression can distort gene trees and dates, and sparse felid fossils limit calibration. It connects dating to taxonomy by noting that very recent divergences (as in some subspecies) often fall below the threshold where lineages are reciprocally distinct, fueling lump-versus-split disagreements.