Research overview: Felis silvestris versus Felis lybica as separate species

A key outcome of recent wildcat taxonomy is the treatment of the European wildcat (Felis silvestris) and the African or Near Eastern wildcat (Felis lybica) as separate species rather than subspecies of one. This overview explains the rationale: molecular phylogeography shows deep divergence between the European lineage and the African-Asian lineage that gave rise to domestic cats. It discusses how the Cat Classification Task Force adopted this split, recognizing Felis lybica as the wild ancestor of the house cat and a distinct species from the forest-dwelling European wildcat. The piece notes lingering debate, since the forms can hybridize and some authorities still treat them as one species. It exemplifies how the species-versus-subspecies question turns on both divergence depth and species concept.