Tree-living cats that hunt by night in dense environments tend to have more complex coat patterns than plains-dwelling felines that are active during the day. The patterns seem to evolve relatively rapidly in response to environmental change and help the animals to remain camouflaged.
William Allen and his colleagues at the University of Bristol, UK, analysed images of coat patterns in 35 cat species, including leopards, jaguars (pictured) and tigers. They used a mathematical model to link pattern development and function to habitat and behavioural traits.
They also mapped pattern variation on a felid family tree. This revealed that patterns have changed frequently during felid evolution, suggesting that coat pattern is under simple genetic control.
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Evolutionary biology: Leopards change their spots. Nature 467, 1008 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/4671008c
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/4671008c
