Serval by freckle-sized dots. "F. servalina" was first described in 1839 by Irish naturalist William Ogilby from Sierra Leone; in 1867, British zoologist John Edward Gray described "F. herschelii" from an Indian skin, which was probably the same as the servaline cat. In 1907, British zoologist Reginald Innes Pocock commented that the two forms should be considered independent species, but reverted from this in 1917. Eventually, the two forms came to be recognised as the same species. Another form, "F. himalayanus" (Himalayan serval), was described from a skin procured from the Himalayan region; however, Scottish naturalist William Jardine noted in 1843
Serval from the back of the head onto the shoulders, and then break into rows of spots. The white underbelly has dense and fluffy basal fur, and the soft guard hairs (the layer of fur protecting the basal fur) are long. Guard hairs are up to long on the neck, back and the flanks, and are merely long on the face. The closely set ears are black on the back with a horizontal white band; the ears can rotate up to 180 degrees independently of each other. The serval has a good sense of smell, hearing and vision. The serval is