They decided that the giant panda is a bear, but the red panda is a raccoon! Newly discovered differences in red panda genes reveal there may actually be TWO different species – and it could affect conservation efforts A new study sheds light on genetic differences between regional red pandas It suggests red pandas in Sichuan and the Hiamalyas may be different species Findings may also have implications on conservation efforts […] The genome phylogeny of domestic cat, red panda and five mustelid species revealed by comparative chromosome painting and G-banding. We selected two to three high-depth sequenced individuals from each population for PSMC analysis (table S3).
42 (some sources say sub-species differ with 38, 54, and even 56 chromosomes) Their genetic diversity was concluded by studying the genomes of 65 red pandas that showed no similar variants in its Y Chromosomes. Chromosome Res 10 … The red panda is an endangered mammal endemic to the Himalaya and Hengduan Mountains and is the only living ... mitochondrial genomes of 49 red pandas, and Y chromosome …
But research in the 1960s led taxonomists to conclude that the pandas do not belong in the same family! According to the reports, scientists revealed that the Chinese red panda and the Himalayan red panda that were earlier thought to be the related subspecies were actually quite different in their genetic features. 3. The genome analyses also showed that the Himalayan red panda underwent a drastic reduction in population three times, with the most recent decline taking place 90,000 years ago. We excluded sex-chromosome sequences of the red panda genome by aligning the red panda genome with the dog genome. Finally, the giant panda’s 42 chromosomes are far closer to the red panda count of 36 than to the 74 chromosomes of most bears.
By Gege Li A Himalayan red panda, which may be a separate species from its Chinese cousinsVPC Animals Photo/Alamy We now have the strongest indicator yet that there are two separate species of red
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