The strange looking Jaguarundi (Herpailurus or Puma yagouaroundi) ranges across Mexico, Central and South America and is now considered extinct in the southern United States. Previously described with a number of subspecies, partly due to its different coat colors, recent DNA studies show the Jaguarundi is in fact a monotypic species. As with most wild cats, habitat loss and fragmentation due to clearing of land for farming are the major threats, and studies show the cat is far less common than previously reported.

Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi) - Puma Lineage — *Puma yaguarondi* (Prague Zoo) by Bodlina (GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0) via Wikimedia Commons

The Jaguarundi belongs to the genus Herpailurus (or Puma) and the full taxonomy, scientific classification or higher classification of the Jaguarundi species (Herpailurus yagouaroundi or Puma yaguaroundi) is as follows:

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Phylum: Chordata (vertebrates)

Class: Mammalia (mammals)

Order: Carnivora (carnivores)

Suborder: Feliformia (cat-like)

Family: Felidae (cats)

Subfamily: Felinae (small cats)

Genus: Herpailurus or Puma

Species: Herpailurus yagouaroundi or Puma yaguaroundi (Jaguarundi)

The global conservation status for the Jaguarundi is Least Concern (LC) and populations are declining.

Up to eight subspecies of Jaguarundis have been described in the past:

Herpailurus yagouaroundi yagouaroundi
Herpailurus yagouaroundi ameghinoi
Herpailurus yagouaroundi cacomitli
Herpailurus yagouaroundi eyra

Herpailurus yagouaroundi fossata
Herpailurus yagouaroundi melantho
Herpailurus yagouaroundi panamensis
Herpailurus yagouaroundi tolteca

However according to the current Felidae taxonomic revision, recent DNA studies show no evidence to support these subspecies and the species is considered monotypic (no subspecies).