Gray described the genus Neofelis as having an elongate skull, a broad and rather produced face on the same plane as the forehead, a large and elongate nasal, a moderate orbit, a truncated lower jaw and very long conical upper and lower canine teeth with a sharp cutting hinder edge. This skull has resemblances to that of the fossil Smilodon, with very much elongated upper canines.[6] Pocock described the skull of Neofelis as recalling in general features that of Panthera pardus, especially in the shortness and wide separation of the frontal and malar postorbital processes, relative proportion of mandibular teeth; but differing in the greater posterior width of the nasals, the thicker, more salient inferior edge of the orbit, and the mandible being greatly elevated anteriorly.[7] As a result of this unusual skull anatomy, neofelids have a maximum gape of approximately 90 degrees, the biggest of extant carnivora, a trait shared by the extinct Machairodontinae subfamily.[9]
The Sunda clouded leopard has longer upper canine teeth and a narrower palate between them.[10]
Between 1821 and 1862, several felids have been described from Southeast Asia that are subordinated under Neofelis today:
Felis nebulosa was first described in 1821 by Edward Griffith based on a specimen brought from Guangdong in southern China.[13] Populations range from the Himalayan foothills in Nepal through mainland Southeast Asia into China.[12]
Felis diardi was first described in 1823 by Georges Cuvier based on a skin and a drawing received from Java.[14] The Sunda clouded leopard is probably restricted to the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.[2] In Java only clouded leopard fossils were found.[15]
Leopardus brachyurus was first described in 1862 by Robert Swinhoe based on two to three skins from Taiwan.[16] Today the Formosan clouded leopard is considered a clouded leopard subspecies Neofelis nebulosa brachyurus.[17] It is now considered to be extinct.[18]
Deforestation is the foremost threat for both Neofelis species.[12] They are also threatened by commercial poaching for the wildlife trade. Skins, claws and teeth are offered for decoration and clothing, bones and meat as substitute for tigerintraditional Asian medicines and tonics, and live animals for the pet trade. Few poaching incidents have been documented, but all range states are believed to have some degree of commercial poaching. In recent years, substantial domestic markets existed in Indonesia, Myanmar and Vietnam.[19]
^ abPocock, R. I. (1917). "The classification of existing Felidae". The Annals and Magazine of Natural History: Including Zoology, Botany, and Geology, 8th ser. vol. 20 no. 119: 329–350.
^Pocock, R. I. (1939). "Neofelis". The fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Vol. Mammalia. – Volume 1. London: Taylor and Francis. pp. 247–253.
^ abcdNowell, K. & Jackson, P. (1996). "Clouded Leopard". Wild Cats: status survey and conservation action plan. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group. Archived from the original on 2012-04-06.
^Griffith, E. (1821). "Felis nebulosa". General and particular descriptions of the vertebrated animals : arranged conformably to the modern discoveries and improvements in zoology. Vol. Volume 1: Order Carnivora. London: Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, Rodwell and Martin, W. Wood. p. Plate 37.
^Cuvier, G. (1823). "Chapitre V. Des Ossemens de Grands Félis". Recherches sur les ossemens fossiles; ou, l'on retablit les caracteres de plusiers animaux dont les revolutions du globe ont detruit les especes. Vol. Volume IV: Les Ruminans et les Carnassiers Fossiles. Paris: G. Dufour & E. d'Ocagne. pp. 407−456.
^Swinhoe, R. (1862). "On the Mammals of the Island of Formosa". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London: 347–365.
^Ellerman J. R. & Morrison-Scott, T. C. S. (1966). "Genus Neofelis Gray, 1867". Checklist of Palaearctic and Indian mammals 1758 to 1946. London: Trustees of the British Museum. pp. 314–315.
