Panthera
Encyclopedia
Panthera is a genus
of the family
Felidae
(cat
s), which contains four well-known living species
: the tiger
, the lion
, the jaguar
, and the leopard
. The genus comprises about half of the Pantherinae
subfamily, the big cat
s. The word panther, while technically referring to all members of the genus, is commonly used to specifically designate the black panther
.
Only the four Panthera cat species have the anatomical structure that enables them to roar
. The primary reason for this was formerly assumed to be the incomplete ossification
of the hyoid bone
. However, new studies show that the ability to roar is due to other morphological
features, especially of the larynx
. The snow leopard
, Uncia uncia, which is sometimes included within Panthera, does not roar. Although it has an incomplete ossification of the hyoid bone, it lacks the special morphology of the larynx.
πάν pan- ("all") and thēr ("beast of prey") because they can hunt and kill almost everything. The Greek word πάνθηρ, pánthēr, referred to all spotted Felidae generically. Although it came into English through the classical languages, panthera is more likely related to a Sanskrit
word meaning "the yellowish animal" or "whitish-yellow".
, Panthera has been subject to much debate and taxonomic revision. At the base of the genus is probably the extinct felid Viretailurus schaubi, which is also regarded as an early member of the genus Puma
. Panthera likely evolved in Asia, but the definite roots of the genus remain unclear. The divergence of the pantherine cats
(including the living genera Panthera, Uncia
, and Neofelis
) from the subfamily Felinae
(including all other living cat species) has been ranked between six and ten million years ago. The fossil record points to the emergence of Panthera just 2 to 3.8 million years ago.
The snow leopard was seen originally at the base of the Panthera, but newer molecular studies suggest that it is nestled within Panthera and is a sister species of the tiger. Thus, many place the snow leopard within the genus Panthera, but there is currently no consensus as to whether the snow leopard should retain its own genus, Uncia or be moved to Panthera uncia. Since 2008, the IUCN Red List
has listed it as Panthera uncia, with Uncia uncia identified as a synonym. A prehistoric feline, probably closely related to the modern jaguar, is Panthera gombaszogensis, often called European jaguar
. The earliest evidence of this species, obtained at what is now Olivola
in Italy, dates from 1.6 million years ago.
The clouded leopard
(Neofelis nebulosa), which was divided in 2007 to distinguish the Bornean clouded leopard
(Neofelis diardi), is generally placed at the basis of the Panthera group but is not included in the genus Panthera itself.
A study based on mitochondrial genomes suggests that the phylogeny can be represented as Neofelis nebulosa (Panthera tigris (Panthera onca (Panthera pardus, (Panthera leo, Panthera uncia)))). About Panthera separated from other felid species and then evolved into the several species of the genus. N. nebulosa appears to have diverged about , P. tigris about , P. uncia about and P. pardus about . Mitochondrial sequence data from fossils suggest that American lion
s (P. atrox) are a sister lineage to Eurasian cave lions (P. l. spelaea), diverging about .
The "black panther
" is not a distinct species but is just the common name for black (melanistic) specimens of the genus, most often encountered in jaguar and leopard species.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Felidae
Felidae
Felidae is the biological family of the cats; a member of this family is called a felid. Felids are the strictest carnivores of the thirteen terrestrial families in the order Carnivora, although the three families of marine mammals comprising the superfamily pinnipedia are as carnivorous as the...
(cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
s), which contains four well-known living species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
: the tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
, the lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
, the jaguar
Jaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
, and the leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
. The genus comprises about half of the Pantherinae
Pantherinae
Pantherinae is the subfamily of the family Felidae, which includes the genera Panthera, Uncia and Neofelis.The divergence of Pantherinae from Felinae has been ranked between six and ten million years ago. DNA analysis suggests that the snow leopard Uncia uncia is basal to the entire Pantherinae and...
subfamily, the big cat
Big cat
The term big cat – which is not a biological classification – is used informally to distinguish the larger felid species from smaller ones. One definition of "big cat" includes the four members of the genus Panthera: the tiger, lion, jaguar, and leopard. Members of this genus are the only cats able...
s. The word panther, while technically referring to all members of the genus, is commonly used to specifically designate the black panther
Black panther
A black panther is typically a melanistic color variant of any of several species of larger cat. Wild black panthers in Latin America are black jaguars , in Asia and Africa they are black leopards , and in North America they may be black jaguars or possibly black cougars A black panther is...
.
Only the four Panthera cat species have the anatomical structure that enables them to roar
Roar (animal)
A roar is a deep, bellowing outburst of sound forced through an open mouth. It is produced by animals of certain species. A roar is usually made using hyoid, a small bone which is not completely rigid in adults. Animals roar for various reasons, including territorial proclamation, communication...
. The primary reason for this was formerly assumed to be the incomplete ossification
Ossification
Ossification is the process of laying down new bone material by cells called osteoblasts. It is synonymous with bone tissue formation...
of the hyoid bone
Hyoid bone
The hyoid bone is a horseshoe-shaped bone situated in the anterior midline of the neck between the chin and the thyroid cartilage. At rest, it lies at the level of the base of the mandible in the front and the third cervical vertebra behind.Unlike other bones, the hyoid is only distantly...
. However, new studies show that the ability to roar is due to other morphological
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
features, especially of the larynx
Larynx
The larynx , commonly called the voice box, is an organ in the neck of amphibians, reptiles and mammals involved in breathing, sound production, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. It manipulates pitch and volume...
. The snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
, Uncia uncia, which is sometimes included within Panthera, does not roar. Although it has an incomplete ossification of the hyoid bone, it lacks the special morphology of the larynx.
Name
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the origin of the word is unknown. A folk etymology derives the word from the GreekGreek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
πάν pan- ("all") and thēr ("beast of prey") because they can hunt and kill almost everything. The Greek word πάνθηρ, pánthēr, referred to all spotted Felidae generically. Although it came into English through the classical languages, panthera is more likely related to a Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
word meaning "the yellowish animal" or "whitish-yellow".
Evolution
Like much of the family FelidaeFelidae
Felidae is the biological family of the cats; a member of this family is called a felid. Felids are the strictest carnivores of the thirteen terrestrial families in the order Carnivora, although the three families of marine mammals comprising the superfamily pinnipedia are as carnivorous as the...
, Panthera has been subject to much debate and taxonomic revision. At the base of the genus is probably the extinct felid Viretailurus schaubi, which is also regarded as an early member of the genus Puma
Puma (genus)
Puma is a genus in Felidae that contains the cougar and the jaguarundi, and may also include several poorly known Old World fossil representatives .-Species:*Puma concolor – CougarPuma pardoides Puma is a genus in Felidae that contains the cougar (also known as the puma, among other names)...
. Panthera likely evolved in Asia, but the definite roots of the genus remain unclear. The divergence of the pantherine cats
Pantherinae
Pantherinae is the subfamily of the family Felidae, which includes the genera Panthera, Uncia and Neofelis.The divergence of Pantherinae from Felinae has been ranked between six and ten million years ago. DNA analysis suggests that the snow leopard Uncia uncia is basal to the entire Pantherinae and...
(including the living genera Panthera, Uncia
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
, and Neofelis
Neofelis
The genus Neofelis comprises two species, the Clouded Leopard and the Sunda Clouded Leopard , which are classified as vulnerable by IUCN. Both species are listed on CITES Appendix I.- Characteristics :...
) from the subfamily Felinae
Felinae
Felinae is a subfamily of the family Felidae which includes the genera and species listed below. Most are small to medium-sized cats, although the group does include some larger animals, such as the Cougar and Cheetah....
(including all other living cat species) has been ranked between six and ten million years ago. The fossil record points to the emergence of Panthera just 2 to 3.8 million years ago.
The snow leopard was seen originally at the base of the Panthera, but newer molecular studies suggest that it is nestled within Panthera and is a sister species of the tiger. Thus, many place the snow leopard within the genus Panthera, but there is currently no consensus as to whether the snow leopard should retain its own genus, Uncia or be moved to Panthera uncia. Since 2008, the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
has listed it as Panthera uncia, with Uncia uncia identified as a synonym. A prehistoric feline, probably closely related to the modern jaguar, is Panthera gombaszogensis, often called European jaguar
European jaguar
The European jaguar lived about 1.5 million years ago, and is the earliest known Panthera species from Europe. Fossil remains were first known from the Olivola site in Italy and under the synonym Panthera toscana from other Italian localities. Later specimens have been found in England, Germany,...
. The earliest evidence of this species, obtained at what is now Olivola
Olivola
Olivola is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 50 km east of Turin and about 25 km northwest of Alessandria....
in Italy, dates from 1.6 million years ago.
The clouded leopard
Clouded Leopard
The clouded leopard is a felid found from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into China, and has been classified as vulnerable in 2008 by IUCN...
(Neofelis nebulosa), which was divided in 2007 to distinguish the Bornean clouded leopard
Bornean Clouded Leopard
The Sunda clouded leopard , also known as the Sundaland clouded leopard and is a medium-sized wild cat found in Borneo and Sumatra...
(Neofelis diardi), is generally placed at the basis of the Panthera group but is not included in the genus Panthera itself.
A study based on mitochondrial genomes suggests that the phylogeny can be represented as Neofelis nebulosa (Panthera tigris (Panthera onca (Panthera pardus, (Panthera leo, Panthera uncia)))). About Panthera separated from other felid species and then evolved into the several species of the genus. N. nebulosa appears to have diverged about , P. tigris about , P. uncia about and P. pardus about . Mitochondrial sequence data from fossils suggest that American lion
American lion
The American lion — also known as the North American lion, Naegele’s giant jaguar or American cave lion — is an extinct lion of the family Felidae, endemic to North America during the Pleistocene epoch , existing for approximately...
s (P. atrox) are a sister lineage to Eurasian cave lions (P. l. spelaea), diverging about .
Species, subspecies, and populations
There have been many subspecies of all four Panthera species suggested; however, many of the leopard and lion subspecies are questionable. Recently it has been proposed that all sub-Saharan populations of leopards are of the same leopard subspecies and that all sub-Saharan populations of lions likewise belong to the same lion subspecies, as they do not have sufficient genetic distinction between them. Some prehistoric lion subspecies have been described from historical evidence and fossils. They may have been separate species.The "black panther
Black panther
A black panther is typically a melanistic color variant of any of several species of larger cat. Wild black panthers in Latin America are black jaguars , in Asia and Africa they are black leopards , and in North America they may be black jaguars or possibly black cougars A black panther is...
" is not a distinct species but is just the common name for black (melanistic) specimens of the genus, most often encountered in jaguar and leopard species.
Taxa
(Extinct species and subspecies are indicated with the symbol †)- Genus Panthera
- Panthera atrox - American lionAmerican lionThe American lion — also known as the North American lion, Naegele’s giant jaguar or American cave lion — is an extinct lion of the family Felidae, endemic to North America during the Pleistocene epoch , existing for approximately...
or North American cave lion †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point... - Panthera crassidensPanthera crassidensPanthera crassidens is a possible species of leopard, that is now extinct. It lived during the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene in Africa. It has been argued that the few fossil remains do not represent a genuine species, and instead belong to some other form of big cat....
(probably identical with another felid taxon) †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point... - Panthera gombaszoegensis (European jaguarEuropean jaguarThe European jaguar lived about 1.5 million years ago, and is the earliest known Panthera species from Europe. Fossil remains were first known from the Olivola site in Italy and under the synonym Panthera toscana from other Italian localities. Later specimens have been found in England, Germany,...
) †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point... - Panthera leo (LionLionThe lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
)- Panthera leo spelaea - Eurasian cave lion †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
- Panthera leo azandica - North East Congo lionNorth East Congo lionThe Northeast Congo Lion is a subspecies of lion that lives in the grasslands of Northeast Congo.The Northeast Congo Lion once ranged throughout Northeast Congo but now is only in certain parts of Northeast Congo due to hunting and habitat destruction...
- Panthera leo bleyenberghi - Katanga lion or Southwest African lion
- Panthera leo europaea - European lionEuropean lionEuropean lion could be an extinct subspecies of lion that inhabited southern Europe until historic times. This population is generally considered part of the Asiatic lion , but others consider it a separate subspecies, the European lion...
†ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point... - Panthera leo fossilis - Early Middle Pleistocene European cave lion †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
- Panthera leo hollisteri - Congo lion
- Panthera leo kamptzi
- Panthera leo krugeri - South African lion or Southeast African lion
- Panthera leo leo - Barbary lionBarbary LionThe Barbary lion , also known as the Atlas lion or Nubian lion, is a subspecies of lion that became extinct in the wild or extinct in the 20th century....
, Biblical lion, Middle Eastern lion; extinct in the wildExtinct in the WildExtinct in the Wild is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa, the only known living members of which are being kept in captivity or as a naturalized population outside its historic range.-Examples:... - Panthera leo melanochaita - Cape lionCape LionThe Cape Lion, Panthera leo melanochaitus, is a subspecies of lion that is now extinct.Cape "black-maned" Lions ranged along the Cape of Africa on the southern tip of the continent. The Cape Lion was not the only subspecies living in South Africa, and its exact range is unclear. Its stronghold was...
†ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point... - Panthera leo massaica - Masai lionMasai lionThe Masai Lion , is a subspecies of the African Lion, it is common in the "Masai Mara" game reserve in Kenya, Africa.-Etymology:...
- Panthera leo nubica - East African lion - synonym for P. leo, not a subspecies
- Panthera leo nyanzae
- Panthera leo persica - Asiatic lionAsiatic LionThe Asiatic lion also known as the Indian lion, Persian lion and Eurasian Lion is a subspecies of lion. The only place in the wild where the lion is found is in the Gir Forest of Gujarat, India...
- Panthera leo roosevelti - Abyssinian lion - synonym for P. l. massaica, not a subspecies
- Panthera leo sinhaleyus - Sri Lanka lionSri Lanka lionThe Sri Lanka Lion , also known as the Ceylon Lion, was a prehistoric subspecies of lion, endemic to Sri Lanka. It appears to have become extinct prior to the arrival of culturally modern humans, c. 37,000 years BC....
or Ceylon lion. †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point... - Panthera leo somaliensis - Somali lion - synonym for P. leo, not a subspecies
- Panthera leo senegalensis - West African lionWest African lionThe West African lion is a subspecies of the lion, native to western Africa. Recent genetic research indicates, that the Western and Central African lions form a different clade of lions and are perhaps more related to Asian lions than to lions from southern or eastern Africa...
, or Senegal lion - Panthera leo vereshchagini - East Siberian and Beringian cave lionPanthera leo vereshchaginiPanthera leo vereshchagini, known as the East Siberian- or Beringian cave lion is an extinct prehistoric lion that inhabited Yakutia , Alaska , and the Yukon Territory during the Pleistocene epoch. Analysis of skulls and mandibles of this lion suggest that it is a new subspecies different from the...
†ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point... - Panthera leo verneyi - Kalahari lion - currently no synonym
- Panthera leo spelaea - Eurasian cave lion †
- Panthera onca (JaguarJaguarThe jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
)- Panthera onca arizonensis
- Panthera onca centralis
- Panthera onca goldmani
- Panthera onca hernandesii
- Panthera onca onca
- Panthera onca palustris
- Panthera onca paraguensis
- Panthera onca peruviana
- Panthera onca veracrucis
- Panthera onca mesembrinaPanthera onca mesembrinaPanthera onca mesembrina, commonly known as the Pleistocene South American jaguar, is an extinct subspecies of the jaguar that was endemic to North and South America during the Pleistocene epoch .-Morphology:...
- Pleistocene South American jaguar †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point... - Panthera onca augustaPanthera onca augustaPanthera onca augusta, commonly known as the Pleistocene North American jaguar, is an extinct subspecies of the jaguar that was endemic to North and South America during the Pleistocene epoch , existing for approximately ....
- Pleistocene North American jaguar†ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
- Panthera palaeosinensisPanthera palaeosinensisPanthera palaeosinensis was an early Pleistocene species from northern China. It is often incorrectly referenced as the ancestral tiger, Panthera tigris although it shares features with all living large cats...
(PleistocenePleistoceneThe Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
pantherine - probably ancestral to the tiger) †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point... - Panthera pardoidesPanthera pardoidesPuma pardoides or Owen's panther is an extinct prehistoric cat, long regarded as a primitive species of leopard...
(a primitive pantherine - probably identical with Panthera schaubi) †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point... - Panthera pardus (LeopardLeopardThe leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
)- Panthera pardus adersi (Zanzibar leopardZanzibar LeopardThe Zanzibar Leopard is an elusive and possibly extinct subspecies of leopard endemic to Unguja Island in the Zanzibar archipelago, part of Tanzania. Increasing conflict between people and leopards in the 20th century led to their demonization and determined attempts to exterminate them...
) - synonym for P. p. pardus, not a subspecies - Panthera pardus delacouri (Indo-Chinese leopard)
- Panthera pardus fusca (Indian leopardIndian leopardThe Indian leopard is a leopard subspecies widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the five big cats found in India, apart from Asiatic lion, Bengal tiger, snow leopard and clouded leopard....
) - Panthera pardus jarvesi (Judean Desert leopard) - not even a synonym
- Panthera pardus japonensis (North China leopardNorth China leopardThe North Chinese leopard is a subspecies of leopard native to Northern China. Like most Asian subspecies it is classified as endangered by the IUCN...
) - Panthera pardus jarvisi (Sinai leopardSinai LeopardThe Sinai Leopard is a subspecies of leopard found in the Sinai peninsula and the mountains near Eilat. It has been described as a distinct leopard subspecies , however genetic analysis indicate that it belongs to the Persian leopard subspecies...
) - synonym for P. p. nimr, not a subspecies - Panthera pardus kotiya (Sri Lanka leopardSri Lanka LeopardThe Sri Lankan leopard , colloquially known as Kotiya in Sinhala and Puli in Tamil, is a subspecies of leopard native to Sri Lanka...
) - Panthera pardus melas (Java leopard)
- Panthera pardus nimr (Arabian leopardArabian leopardThe Arabian leopard is a leopard subspecies native to the Arabian Peninsula and classified as critically endangered by IUCN since 1996. Less than 200 animals remained in 2006...
) - Panthera pardus orientalis (Amur leopardAmur LeopardThe Amur leopard , also known as the Far Eastern leopard, Korean leopard, and Manchurian leopard is one of nine recognised subspecies of leopard. It is a wild feline predator native to the mountainous areas of the Russian Far East. It used to inhabit the forests of Korea and China, but it has...
) - Panthera pardus panthera (Barbary leopardBarbary leopardThe Barbary Leopard or North African Leopard has been described originally as a separate subspecies of the leopard. It is native to the Atlas Mountains of North Africa...
) - synonym for P. p. pardus, not a subspecies - Panthera pardus pardus (African leopardAfrican LeopardThe African Leopard is a leopard subspecies occurring across most of sub-Saharan Africa. In 2008, the IUCN classified leopards as Near Threatened, stating that they may soon qualify for the Vulnerable status due to habitat loss and fragmentation. They are becoming increasingly rare outside...
) - Panthera pardus pernigra (Nepalese leopard) - synonym for P. p. fusca, not a subspecies
- Panthera pardus saxicolor (Persian leopardPersian LeopardThe Persian leopard , also called Caucasian leopard, is the largest leopard subspecies, and is native to eastern Turkey, the Caucasus mountains, northern Iran, southern Turkmenistan, and parts of western Afghanistan...
) - Panthera pardus sickenbergi (European leopard) †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
- Panthera pardus tulliana (Anatolian leopardAnatolian leopardThe Anatolian leopard , also called the Asia Minor leopard is a leopard subspecies native to southwestern Turkey. Its continued existence is uncertain.- Distribution and habitat:...
)
- Panthera pardus adersi (Zanzibar leopard
- Panthera (Viretailurus) schaubi (Owen's panther †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
- may not be a pantherine) - Panthera schreuderiPanthera schreuderiPanthera schreuderi is a possible pre-historic species of large cat, that is now extinct. It lived in Europe during the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene. Turner and O'Brien, among others, have argued that the few known specimens all belong, instead, to the species P. gombazoegensis, the extinct...
(prehistoric felid †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
- probably junior synonym of European jaguar ) - Panthera tigris (TigerTigerThe tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
)- Panthera tigris altaica (Siberian tiger)
- Panthera tigris amoyensis (South China tigerSouth China TigerThe South China tiger is a tiger subspecies that originated in southern China and northern Indochina and has been classified as critically endangered by IUCN since 1996 as it is possibly extinct in the wild....
) - Panthera tigris balica (Balinese tiger) †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
- Panthera tigris corbetti (Indochinese tigerIndochinese TigerThe Indochinese tiger or Corbett's tiger is a subspecies of tiger found in Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam and formerly in China. Tigers in peninsular Malaysia, formerly classified as Indochinese, have recently been reclassified as a separate subspecies, Malayan tiger Panthera tigris...
) - Panthera tigris jacksoni (Malayan tigerMalayan TigerThe Malayan tiger is a tiger subspecies that inhabits the southern and central parts of the Malay Peninsula and has been classified as endangered by IUCN in 2008 as the population was estimated at 493 to 1,480 adult individuals in 2003; none of the three subpopulations likely harbors more than 250...
) - Panthera tigris sondaica (Javan tigerJavan TigerThe Javan tiger is an extinct tiger subspecies that inhabited the Indonesian island of Java until the mid-1970s. It was one of the three subspecies limited to islands.Mazák, J.H., Groves, C.P....
) †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point... - Panthera tigris sumatrae (Sumatran tigerSumatran TigerThe Sumatran tiger is a tiger subspecies that inhabits the Indonesian island of Sumatra and has been classified as critically endangered by IUCN in 2008 as the population is projected at 176 to 271 mature individuals, with no subpopulation having an effective population size larger than 50...
) - Panthera tigris tigris (Bengal tigerBengal TigerThe Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
) - Panthera tigris trinilensis (Trinil tigerTrinil TigerThe Trinil Tiger is an extinct subspecies of tiger dating from about 1.2 million years ago. This tiger was found at the locality of Trinil, Java, Indonesia. These fossils are now stored in the Dubois Collection of the National Museum of Natural History in Leiden, the Netherlands...
) †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point... - Panthera tigris virgata (Caspian tigerCaspian TigerThe Caspian tiger, also known as the Turan tiger and Hyrcanian tiger, is an extinct tiger subspecies that has been recorded in the wild until the early 1970s, and used to inhabit the sparse forest habitats and riverine corridors west and south of the Caspian Sea, from Turkey, Iran and west through...
) †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
- Panthera toscana (Tuscany lionTuscany lionThe Tuscany lion or Tuscany jaguar was a prehistoric large feline of the Villafranchian of Italy. Although originally named as a separate species, Panthera toscana is now often recognized as an early form of Panthera gombaszoegensis, the European jaguar.-Literature :* A. Turner: The big cats and...
or Tuscany jaguar †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
- probably junior synonym of European jaguar) - Panthera uncia or Uncia uncia (Snow leopardSnow LeopardThe snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
) - Panthera youngiPanthera youngiPanthera youngi is known from Choukoutien, northeastern China and lived about 350,000 years ago in the Pleistocene epoch. Data reviewed in 1969 suggested that the American lion, the Eurasian cave lion and the large Chinese Panthera youngi are conspecific. However, some scientists are not so sure...
(a prehistoric Chinese lion-like felid) †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
- Panthera atrox - American lion