Using molecular systematics to study mitochondrial DNA sequences and mutations, it has been determined that the Red Panda's closest relative is the American raccoon (Su et al., 2001). The Red Panda is known to have diverged from a common ancestor with bears about 40 million years ago (Su et al., 2001). Similar traits between bears, the American raccoon, and the Red Panda include their abilities to hold onto branches or bamboo with pseudo-thumbs (Su et al., 2001). Raccoons are different from both bears and the Red Panda because their "thumb" is not attached the same way (Su et al., 2001). About 10 million years after the divergence of the common ancestor, there was another split into the New World procyonids and Old World procyonids (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021). The New World procyonids gave rise to the American raccoon and its close relatives, but the Old World procyonids gave rise to the Red Panda (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021). The Red Panda's family Ailuridae was not seen truly until about 18 million years ago (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021). The Red Panda and Giant Panda are not very closely related but are a great example of convergent evolution as they share analogous structures—pseudo-thumbs—which developed in response to their choice of predominantly bamboo diet although both are scientifically considered carnivores (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021). They both also have well-developed jaws, digestive systems, and molars in order to support their diet (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021). The Red Panda has uniquely developed large, flat molars with an abnormal crown pattern to other carnivores, which helps it eat (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021). The red panda is similar to dogs, cats, bears, mustelids like weasels, and procyonids like raccoons (Glatston et al. 2015). It differs from the carnivores by its largely herbivorous diet, which gives rise to its stronger jaw and flat, elaborate teeth (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
short digestive system with a single-chambered stomach like most carnivores but unlike most herbivores (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
large, flat elaborate teeth and jaw muscles for eating bamboo like the Giant Panda (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
enlarged salivary glands like other omnivorous carnivores (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
striped bushy tail for balance similar to lemurs and raccoons (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
short, triangular ears characteristic of cold-dwelling mammals (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
small middle ear cavity causing decreased hearing (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
tufted paw pads for cold/icy/snowy grounds (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
anal glands that are common in carnivores (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
some reduced/absent mammary glands (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
semi-retractable claws like carnivores suited for arboreal locomotion (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
pseudo-thumb created by an enlarged sesamoid bone in the wrist that helps with eating bamboo and climbing trees similar to the Giant Panda (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
Kingdom: Animalia (Glatston et al., 2015)
Phylum: Chordata (Glatston et al., 2015)
Class: Mammalia (Glatston et al., 2015)
Order: Carnivora (Glatston et al., 2015)
Family: Ailuridae (Glatston et al., 2015)
Traits of the family Ailuridae are similar to that of the genus Ailurus because that is the last living genus in the family (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021).
Genus: Ailurus (Glatston et al., 2015)
The following are evolutionary changes that together indicate the genus Ailurus morphologically:
scent glands (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
semi-retractable claws (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
tufted paw pads (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
reduced/absent mammary glands (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
herbivorous-adaptive digestive system (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
small middle-ear cavity and short, triangular ears (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
enlarged salivary glands (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
enlarged jaw muscles (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
enlarged, flattened teeth (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
Species: fulgens (Glatston et al., 2015)
Although, A. fulgens is the only living species of the genus Ailurus and family Ailuridae (Glatston et al., 2015), the following comparisons are provided for a more comprehensive analysis of the standard A. fulgens species:
larger than A. styani (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
A. sytani is synonymous with A. fulgens according to the IUCN; however, some mammalogists suggest there may have been some speciation and refer to it as a subspecies or even a separate species (Glatston et al., 2015). In the field of mammalogy, there will be different opinions of species considerations and divisions. For the purpose of this website, I am using the opinion of IUCN, but I am indicating the differences here that have caused people to consider A. styani a subspecies or separate species to give a more comprehensive description.
larger skull, teeth, and sinus than A. styani (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
darker and longer pelage than A. styani with more tail stripes (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)
molecular systematics- “a structure that is similar because of evolution in response to similar selection pressures resulting in convergent evolution, not similar because of descent from a common ancestor” (Fowler et al., 2013)
family- “the category in the taxonomic classification system that falls within order and includes genera” (Fowler et al., 2013)
convergent evolution- “an evolution that results in similar forms on different species” (Fowler et al., 2013)
analogous structure- ”a structure that is similar because of evolution in response to similar selection pressures resulting in convergent evolution, not similar because of descent from a common ancestor” (Fowler et al., 2013)
speciation- “the category in the taxonomic classification system that falls within order and includes genera” (Fowler et al., 2013)
Fowler, S., Roush, R., & Wise, J. (2013). Concepts of Biology. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/concepts-biology/pages/1-introduction
Glatston, A., Wei, F., Than Zaw & Sherpa, A. (2015). Ailurus fulgens (errata version published in 2017). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T714A110023718. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T714A45195924.en. Accessed on 22 November 2022.
MOL: Map of Life. (n.d.). Red Panda. https://mol.org/species/Ailurus_fulgens
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library. (2021, March 9). Red Pandas (Ailurus fulgens & A. styani) Fact Sheet. https://ielc.libguides.com/sdzg/factsheets/redpanda/taxonomy
Su, B., Fu, Y., Wang, Y., Jin, L., & Chakraborty, R. (2001). Genetic diversity and population history of the Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens) as inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequence variations. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 18(6), 1070-1076. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a003878