> The genus Lynx shares a clade with the genera Puma, Prionailurus and Felis dated to 7.15 million years ago; Lynx diverged approximately 3.24 million years ago.[16]
The bobcat is thought to have evolved from the Eurasian lynx (L. lynx), which crossed into North America by way of the Bering Land Bridge during the Pleistocene, with progenitors arriving as early as 2.6 million years ago.[17] It first appeared during the Irvingtonian stage around 1.8 million years ago. The first bobcat wave moved into the southern portion of North America, which was soon cut off from the north by glaciers; th…