My friend says they're not, that they are just black cougars or mountain loins what do you think??? Honest answers please, and if you could give the sight that you got it from ill put u on the best answer thingy:D
2007-10-23 14:10:05 · 9 answers · asked by Elle 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
by the way don't put wikipedia cause i dont really trust it
2007-10-23 14:26:24 · update #1
There is no actual species called a panther. The term generally refers to melanistic (black) leopards, Panthera pardus. It was once thought that black leopards were a species of their own, known as the 'pard', and that spotted leopards were a cross between pards and lions (hence 'leopard' - lion-pard).
Melanistic jaguars (Panthera onca) are somtimes incorrectly referred to as panthers, and the Florida subspecies of the puma, Felis concolor (also known as the cougar, mountain lion or catamount) is often called the Florida panther.
2007-10-24 06:35:32 · answer #1 · answered by The Wise Wolf 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
The first species is the panther, which was known to the Greeks by the name Pardalis, to the antient Latins by that of Panthera and Par- [167] dus, and to the more modern Latins by that of Leopardus. The body of this animal, when arrived at full growth, is five or six feet long, measuring from the extremity of the muzzle to the origin of the tail, which is more than two feet. The basis of the colour upon the back and sides is of a more or less deep yellow, and that of the belly is whitish. He is marked with black spots, which are circular, or in the form of a rose, detached from each other upon the sides, hollow in the middle, and most of them have several lesser spots, in their center, of the same colour. These spots, of which some are oblong, and others circular, are frequently three inches in diameter. The spots on the head, breast, belly, and legs, are entire."
They don't live in US where mountain lions live so there is an easy distinction for your friend.
2007-10-23 15:05:59 · answer #2 · answered by Rich Z 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Panther is actually another name for Leopard and Cougar. In North America it's called a Cougar. In Latin America it's called a Jaguar. Panthera is a genus name of the family Felidae (the cats). If you want more information on them. Here is a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_panther
2007-10-23 14:21:31 · answer #3 · answered by Kilene 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, melanistic (black) leopards and jaguars are referred to as "black panthers". I have seen black jaguars at the zoo. By the way a mountain lion and a cougar are the same animal.
http://www.bigcatrescue.org/jaguar.htm
http://www.cathouse-fcc.org/blackleopard.html
2007-10-23 14:41:46 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
yes and no.
Panthers and Cougars are interchangeable:
America, panther means cougar
south america, panther means jaguar
2007-10-23 14:19:15 · answer #5 · answered by MrV 2 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Yes.
2007-10-23 14:17:35 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
yes they are real.check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_panther
2007-10-23 14:19:50 · answer #7 · answered by GBOY 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i'm actually also not sure. i thought of course at first, but...
2007-10-23 14:17:05 · answer #8 · answered by anya 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
yeah, course they are real!!!!!!!
2007-10-23 14:13:15 · answer #9 · answered by archerpro101 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
DUH
2007-10-23 14:33:08 · answer #10 · answered by hey,you!:) 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋