Serval along with the caracal and the African golden cat, forms one of the eight lineages of Felidae. According to a 2006 genetic study, the "Caracal" lineage came into existence 8.5 mya, and the ancestor of this lineage arrived in Africa 8.5–5.6 mya. The phylogenetic relationships of the serval are as follows: The name "Leptailurus" may have been constructed from the medieval Greek λεπταλέος or λεπτός meaning "fine, delicate". The name "serval" could have been derived from the Medieval Latin words "Lupus cervalis" ("deer-like wolf") or from its Portuguese equivalent "lobo-cerval" (referring to the Iberian lynx). The first recorded use of
Serval blows and even bites, and may be consumed even as they are moving. Larger prey, such as larger birds, are killed by a sprint followed by a leap to catch them as they are trying to flee, and are eaten slowly. Servals have been observed caching large kills to be consumed later by concealing them in dead leaves and grasses. Servals typically get rid of the internal organs of rodents while eating, and pluck feathers from birds before consuming them. During a leap, a serval can reach more than above the ground and cover a horizontal distance of up to