Leptailurus serval

(von Schreber, 1776)

Serval

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Laurasiatheria
Order : Carnivora
Suborder : Feliformia
Infraorder : Feloidea
Family : Felidae
Subfamily : Felinae
Genus : Leptailurus

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Schreber, J.C.D. von. 1776. pl. 108. P. pl. 108 in Schreber, J.C.D. von. 1774-1855. Die Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur, mit Beschreibungen. Walther, Die Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31064646

Original name as described

Felis serval

Type material

untraced (number not known)

Type kind

holotype

Type locality

Cape region of South Africa.

Biogeographic realm

Afrotropic

Country distribution

Morocco · Tunisia · Algeria? · Senegal · Gambia · Guinea-Bissau · Guinea · Mali · Sierra Leone · Liberia · Cote d'Ivoire · Burkina Faso · Ghana · Togo · Benin · Niger · Nigeria · Cameroon · Chad · Central African Republic · Sudan · South Sudan · Gabon · Republic of the Congo · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Ethiopia · Somalia · Eritrea · Djibouti · Kenya · Uganda · Rwanda · Burundi · Tanzania · Angola · Zambia · Malawi · Mozambique · Zimbabwe · Botswana · Namibia · South Africa · Eswatini · Lesotho?

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006005

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Known distribution is shown in green and predicted distribution is in yellow. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Leptailurus serval faradjius

J. A. Allen, 1924

Family

Felidae

Root name

faradjius

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

AMNH M-51990

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://portal.vertnet.org/o/amnh/mammals?id=urn-catalog-amnh-mammals-m-51990

Authority page

267

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42949597

Authority publication

Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Felis Servalina

(W. Ogilby, 1839)

Family

Felidae

Root name

servalinus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1855.12.24.412

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

94

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30571337

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Felis brachyura

(J. A. Wagner, 1843)

Family

Felidae

Root name

brachyurus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1855.12.24.412

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

547

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31060774

Authority publication

Die Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur

Felis Ogilbyi

(H. R. Schinz, 1844)

Family

Felidae

Root name

ogilbyi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1855.12.24.412

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

469

Authority publication

Solothurn

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Felis servalina poliotricha

(Pocock, 1907)

Family

Felidae

Root name

poliotrichus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1887.12.1.5

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/b5260332-2f0f-4b70-a95e-6a4ab8acd71e

Authority page

665

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31579079

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

  1. Lydekker (1908:437, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741657) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  2. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Felis capensis hindei

(Wroughton, 1910)

Family

Felidae

Root name

hindei

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1898.1.5.3

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/1b148caa-4c2a-4fda-a577-d12cfb96ae0f

Authority page

205

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/63236604

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Felis servalina pantasticta

(Pocock, 1907)

Family

Felidae

Root name

pantastictus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1906.3.10.1

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/2382ea92-ea48-4e16-8676-0fd8bde1576c

Authority page

665

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31579079

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Lydekker (1908:437, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741657) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)

Felis capensis beirae

(Wroughton, 1910)

Family

Felidae

Root name

beirae

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1907.6.2.29

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/f625d792-74c3-4096-845a-0c23c4306e92

Authority page

206

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/63236605

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Felis capensis kempi

(Wroughton, 1910)

Family

Felidae

Root name

kempi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1910.4.1.48

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/67693749-ff6c-4476-91ad-16545d70c290

Authority page

206

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/63236605

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Felis servalina larseni

(O. Thomas, 1913)

Family

Felidae

Root name

larseni

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1913.3.24.1

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/d5b42dbf-7919-4d72-9360-316882f3888c

Authority page

91

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/22099578

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Felis servalina liposticta

(Pocock, 1907)

Family

Felidae

Root name

lipostictus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1913.4.14.1

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/8ebe2c7d-2d2e-48f5-a4f4-5a51be501182

Authority page

666

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31579080

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Lydekker (1908:437, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741657) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)

Leptailurus serval tanae

Pocock, 1944

Family

Felidae

Root name

tanae

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1923.3.26.7

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/da5f5ed2-2efa-4559-ad06-2d10e9ecfeb4

Authority page

694

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Wilson & Mittermeier (2009:141) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67177)

Felis capensis phillipsi

(G. M. Allen, 1914)

Family

Felidae

Root name

phillipsi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MCZ:Mamm:14908

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://mczbase.mcz.harvard.edu/guid/MCZ:Mamm:14908

Authority page

337

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30516598

Authority publication

Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology

Felis serval kivuensis

(Lönnberg, 1919)

Family

Felidae

Root name

kivuensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

RMCA 2901

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

242

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11304114

Authority publication

Revue zoologique africaine

Felis serval ingridi

(Lundholm, 1955)

Family

Felidae

Root name

ingridi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

TM 10510

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

291

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Leptailurus capensis limpopoensis

A. Roberts, 1926

Family

Felidae

Root name

limpopoensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Type

TM 1808

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

248

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Felis serval robertsi

(Ellerman, Morrison-Scott, & Hayman, 1953)

Family

Felidae

Root name

robertsi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

TM 1808

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

148

Authority publication

London

Leptailurus serval hamiltoni

A. Roberts, 1931

Family

Felidae

Root name

hamiltoni

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

TM 4682

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

227

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Leptailurus serval mababiensis

A. Roberts, 1932

Family

Felidae

Root name

mababiensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

TM 5695

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

7

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Felis serval

(von Schreber, 1776)

Family

Felidae

Root name

serval

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

untraced (number not known)

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

pl. 108

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31064646

Authority publication

Die Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur

Name usages

  1. Erxleben (1777:523, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15873320) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36060)
  2. Daudin (1802:161, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42033411) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/64044)
  3. Fischer (1814:xii, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130073) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12226)
  4. Illiger (1815:109, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080965) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38688)
  5. Lesson (1827:184, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207652) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  6. Cuvier (1842:2, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44518525) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/60227)
  7. Lesson (1842:53) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)
  8. Crespon (1844:56, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/52795664) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38970)
  9. Fitzinger (1855:263) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/65926)
  10. Loche (1858:7, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41949445) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/60564)
  11. Blyth (1863:62, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47534690) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37155)
  12. Matschie (1895:68, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14835461) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67260)
  13. Lydekker (1908:434, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741654) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)
  14. Allen (1909:171) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/16003)
  15. Zimara (1935:8) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67232)
  16. Corbet & Hill (1980:105) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  17. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:280) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)

Felis constantina

(Forster, 1780)

Family

Felidae

Root name

constantinus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

untraced (number not known)

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

313

Authority publication

book

Felis (Serval) togoensis

(Matschie, 1893)

Family

Felidae

Root name

togoensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

ZMB 105791

Type kind

lectotype

Authority page

109

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7795783

Authority publication

Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin

Felis serval senegalensis

(Lydekker, 1908)

Family

Felidae

Root name

senegalensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

435

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741655

Authority publication

London

Name usages

Lydekker (1908:435, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741655) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)

Felis serval togöensis

(Lydekker, 1908)

Family

Felidae

Root name

togoensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

435

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741655

Authority publication

London

Name usages

Lydekker (1908:435, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18741655) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39820)

Leptailurus serval beirae

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

beirae

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Leptailurus serval brachyurus

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

brachyurus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

  1. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)
  2. Wilson & Mittermeier (2009:141) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67177)

Leptailurus serval constantinus

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

constantinus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

  1. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)
  2. Wilson & Mittermeier (2009:141) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67177)

Leptailurus serval ferrarii

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

ferrarii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Leptailurus serval hindei

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

hindei

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

  1. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)
  2. Wilson & Mittermeier (2009:141) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67177)

Leptailurus serval kempi

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

kempi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Leptailurus serval kivuensis

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

kivuensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Leptailurus serval lipostictus

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

lipostictus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Leptailurus serval lonnbergi

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

lonnbergi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Leptailurus serval pantastictus

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

pantastictus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Leptailurus serval phillipsi

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

phillipsi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

  1. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)
  2. Wilson & Mittermeier (2009:141) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67177)

Leptailurus serval pococki

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

pococki

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Leptailurus serval robertsi

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

robertsi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Leptailurus serval

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

serval

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

  1. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)
  2. O'Brien, Menninger & Nash (2006:528) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/7321)
  3. Wilson & Mittermeier (2009:141) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67177)
  4. Kingdon & Hoffman (2013:180) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/27643)
  5. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #400000234) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  6. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #400000234) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  7. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  8. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/11638/156536762) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Leptailurus serval serval

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

serval

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

  1. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)
  2. Wilson & Mittermeier (2009:141) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67177)

Leptailurus serval togoensis

Wozencraft, 2005

Family

Felidae

Root name

togoensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Leptailurus serval liptostictus

D. E. Wilson & Mittermeier, 2009

Family

Felidae

Root name

liptostictus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

142

Authority publication

Barcelona

Name usages

Wilson & Mittermeier (2009:142) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67177)

Caracal serval

(Butynski, Douglas-Dufresne, & De Jong, 2012)

Family

Felidae

Root name

serval

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

4

Authority publication

Journal of East African Natural History

Name usages

Butynski, Douglas-Dufresne & De Jong (2012:4) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/11291)

Felis capensis

(Forster, 1781)

Family

Felidae

Root name

capensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

4

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/51825610

Authority publication

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London

Name usages

  1. Thunberg (1811:304, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11767798) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/64194)
  2. Roberts (1913:103, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50439561) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/17656)
  3. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Felis constantinensis

(Link, 1795)

Family

Felidae

Root name

constantinensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_nudum

Authority page

91

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/46272967

Authority publication

Rostock

felis Galeopardus

(A. G. Desmarest, 1821)

Family

Felidae

Root name

galeopardus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

227

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39523991

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Felis Caracal Algiricus

(J. B. Fischer, 1829)

Family

Felidae

Root name

algiricus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

210

Authority publication

Stuttgart

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Felis Senegalensis

(Lesson, 1839)

Family

Felidae

Root name

senegalensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Authority page

1

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39898306

Authority publication

Magasin de zoologie

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1842:53) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)
  2. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Serval maculatus

(Brehm, 1864)

Family

Felidae

Root name

maculatus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

53

Authority publication

Hamburg

Felis (Serval) togoensis niger

(Lönnberg, 1897)

Family

Felidae

Root name

niger

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Authority page

571

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9962732

Authority publication

Zoologische Jahrbücher

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Felis serval lonnbergi

(Cabrera, 1910)

Family

Felidae

Root name

lonnbergi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Authority publication

Boletín de la Real Sociedad Española de Historia Natural

Felis serval pococki

(Cabrera, 1910)

Family

Felidae

Root name

pococki

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Authority page

427

Authority publication

Boletín de la Real Sociedad Española de Historia Natural

Felis capensis ferrarii

(De Beaux, 1924)

Family

Felidae

Root name

ferrarii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

4

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/57804008

Authority publication

Atti della Società Italiana di Scienze Naturali e del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale in Milano

Leptailurus hintoni

Hopwood, 1928

Family

Felidae

Root name

hintoni

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority publication

London

Leptailurus serval beirensis

A. Roberts, 1936

Family

Felidae

Root name

beirensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

171

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

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