There Is No Such Species as a Panther
A panther is a black leopard or a black jaguar. The word names a colour variant, not an animal of its own.
A panther is not a separate species. In Africa and Asia it means a black leopard; in the Americas it means a black jaguar; and in Florida the word is used for the local cougar, which is not black at all. The dark coat is melanism, and in strong light the spots are still visible under the black.
- A black leopard or jaguar. *A panther in the undergrowth.*
- A cougar (American regional). *The Florida panther.*
- Panther in names and emblems. *A panther on the badge.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | panther | A black panther. |
| Plural | panthers | Two panthers. |
| Related | leopard | A spotted leopard. |
| Related | jaguar | A jaguar in Belize. |
| Related | melanism | Melanism in cats. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The black panther is a melanistic leopard.In Asia and Africa.
- The Florida panther is a cougar.A regional name, and endangered.
- You can still see the rosettes in sunlight.The pattern is there under the black.
Big cat names sorted out
- Leopard — Africa and Asia, rosettes without inner spots
- Jaguar — the Americas, rosettes with inner spots
- Cougar — also puma, mountain lion, panther; one animal, many names
- Panther — a colour variant, not a species
- Panthera — the genus of lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar
From Old French *pantere*, from Latin *panthera*, from Greek *panther*. Folk etymology once read it as *pan* plus *ther*, all-beast, which is charming and wrong.
Is a panther a species?
No. It is a black-coated leopard or jaguar, or in parts of America a cougar. The name describes colour or region, not species.
How many names does the cougar have?
Dozens in English alone, including puma, mountain lion, catamount and panther. It holds a record for the most names of any animal.