axonomy is generally a complicated topic. There is today no representation possibility to represent all living beings correctly. However, the contemporary taxonomic system is the best what science has to offer Through the centuries, the arrangement of the tiger changed again and again. Of the division Linnés up to the system Pococks, the tiger occupied numerous positions. The following representation announces the taxonomic nomenclature the tiger, the nominatform as she is valid at the beginning of 2002 (A.C.):

RM = spinal cord; WS = spinal; KRS = head, body, tail + gill bow; FD = first designate

*) there taxonomy changes again and again in the past, I would like to give a short view of the taxonomical history of the Indian tiger, of the nominatform. Although Linné still speaks about Felis tigris, its nomenclature is today valid, however with Panthera tigris tigris. [other subkinds]

If one would have to designate scientifically the tiger (the nominatform) exact, he would come for the following result although this full representation is demanded rarely:

Animalia Metazoa Eumetazoa Bilateria Deuterostomia Chordata Vertebrata Tetrapoda Mammalia Eutheria Carnivora Fissipedia Cynofeloidae Felidae Felinae Pantherini Panthera tigris tigris

(clearly the tiger *g*)

Taxonomy is by itself and considerably more extensively than represented above. Wholes units like theria (PARK & HASWELL 1897) or tribosphenida (McKENNA in 1975) were not considered by me since else the expenditure would escalate to the boundless. There is an "absolut" complete taxonomy here!

This taxonomy applies of course only to the nominatform. There is and/or were in total seven tiger kinds. These distinguish in the case of the taxonomy only in sub-kind, therefore in the last place that taxment. Newer finding, that the sumatratiger is an own kind below the Panthera omit I here outside before yet would plan this change no influence from the classification into the Panthera and all predecessors step/tiers.

As annotation, I would like to still state some facts over other large cats before I come to the taxonomic systems. To the genuine large cats, I would like to only refer to the leopard of which science knows approximately 25 different sub-kinds and designated them. Of the bigger cats, the cheetah is the only one who was not put into the kind Panthera.

The cheetah is a cat kind which parted itself soon from the Felidae and does not appertain to the scientific "genuine" cats. The cheetah is in the sub-family (2) Acinonychinae. This in turn only consists of the kind (1) Acinonyx with the cheetahs, scientific jubatus, as a kind (1). Summed around are eight cheetahs degenerate known by the science. Therefore, it is usually, that the nominatform receives the same sub-kind name that kind also bears, Acinonyx jubatus jubatus for usual.

The Position of cheetahs to the "genuine" cats furthermore, is unimportant for my next points . Since one can not serve in the case of taxonomy of the other large cats with further special features (!!), too these should be mentioned at the following no more.

It would be no complete insight into taxonomy of the tiger if I would not still deal with the historical process and the different systems of taxonomic representation. However, some names must be mentioned without fail during this venture. This would be natural with Linné, and J. E. Gray, R. I. Pocock, I. Weigel and Th. Haltenorth. However, it is much too complicated to designate the many other researchers those made themselves earned around this topic but its incomes were also very important and in part have existence up to now.

There is another a honor progressive division diagram, that the Felidae puts Feloidea into the Ueber family, and an own Ueber family grants the Carnoidea, as the name already says. Also the own Ueber family of the marten animals is a cutting feature of this concept. However, this could not be correctly successful.

Linnés "Systena Naturae" is the approach newer no. first in order to order formally all ways of life in a scheme. All cats appertain to Linnés opinion (regardless whether small, averages or huge), that he described, for the kind Felis. However, the cats enjoy no special meaning. Linné assigned, included of course too the cats, carnivore to the arrangement Ferrae all. An independent family of the cats became only 1821 through J. E. Gray introduced and Felidae baptized by it.

One many times also speaks of the taxonomic system of the Felidae. In this way can brasher her works to this honor thought cover system. Long time are to be reformed in a failed manner many authors next to it the division the Felidae since they managed artificial kinds and were not based on nature during the division and on the degree they formulated welfare families. A new, in itself conclusive, new division of the cats managed only R. I. Pocock in 1917. This Pocock's system is up to now valid and the basis is for the taxonomy pages of my home page. Except for less changes which Pocock still partially carried out herself, this system is up to now constant.

Pocock introduced engraving modifications. Among other things, he divided up the Felidae in three sub-families Pantherinae (Pantherini), Acinonychinae and Felinae. The Pantherinae close the biggest forms of the cats, under this natural with the tigers as a biggest cat, a and are into again two kinds, the Panthera and the Unica (ounce), subdivided. The cheetah is the only member of the Acinonychinae and the sub-family of the Felinae in itself unites all other cats. However, Pocock did not halt here and in this way, continued that he cut up the Felinae in 14 kinds. Whitin that 14 genders you can find cats like the cougar, the lynx and the nebelparder (Neofelis nebulosa).

A greater change at Pococks basic system were reported by Haltenorth and Weigel. The lynx was separated by the Felinae and received an own sub-family with name Lyncinae. Many researchers considered this fuer a completely random delimitation which lacks every naturalness. This wants to be one of the reasons why this change could not also be successful as right.

For information about the general taxonomy of the cats and of the living beings please, go you at the general taxonomy page. Should you have still questions for taxonomy of the tiger, then write an email, please: