Black panther

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A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of the leopard (Panthera pardus) and the jaguar (Panthera onca). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical rosettes are also present. They have been documented mostly in tropical forests, with black leopards in Africa and Asia, and black jaguars in South America. Melanism is caused by a recessive allele in the leopard, and by a dominant allele in the jaguar.

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Leopard

Black Panther - India.jpg
A melanistic Indian leopard in Nagarhole National Park, Karnataka
Blackleopard.JPG
A melanistic leopard in Out of Africa Wildlife Park, Camp Verde, Arizona
Black leopard.JPG
Markings on a female black leopard at the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve, Kromdraai

In 1788, Jean-Claude Delamétherie described a black leopard that was kept in the Tower of London and had been brought from Bengal. [1] In 1794, Friedrich Albrecht Anton Meyer proposed the scientific name Felis fusca for this cat, the Indian leopard (P. p. fusca). [2] [3] In 1809, Georges Cuvier described a black leopard kept in the Ménagerie du Jardin des plantes that had been brought from Java. Cuvier proposed the name Felis melas, the Javan leopard (P. p. melas). [3] [4] By the late 19th century, the occurrence of black and spotted leopard cubs in the same litter had been repeatedly recorded in India. Black leopards were thought to be more common in Travancore and in the hills of southern India than in other parts of the country. [5] Black leopards were also frequently encountered in southern Myanmar. [6] By 1929, the Natural History Museum, London had skins of black leopards collected in South Africa, Nepal, Assam and Kanara in India. [7] Black leopards were thought to be common on the Malay Peninsula and on Java. [8]

A black African leopard (P. p. pardus) was sighted in the alpine zone of Mount Kenya in the winter of 1989–1990. [9] In Kenya's Laikipia County, a black leopard was photographed by a camera trap in 2007; in 2018, a female subadult black leopard was repeatedly recorded together with a spotted leopard about 50 km (31 mi) farther east in a grassland. [10]

In India's Western Ghats, black leopards were sighted and photographed in 2010 and 2012 in the Kas Plateau Reserved Forest, and in Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary in 2012. [11] In 2015, a dead black leopard was found on a highway near Satara in Maharashtra. [12] In May 2012, a black leopard was photographed at an elevation of 4,300 m (14,100 ft) in Nepal's Kanchenjunga Conservation Area. [13]

At least one black leopard was photographed in mixed deciduous forest in Thailand's Kaeng Krachan National Park during a one-year-long camera trapping survey from 2003 to 2004. [14] In 2009, black leopards were photographed more often than spotted leopards in Kui Buri National Park. [15] Most leopards recorded at 16 sites south of the Kra Isthmus between 1996 and 2009 were black, indicating a near-fixation of melanism in Peninsular Malaysia. [16] In 2019, a black individual was photographed outside a protected area in Jeli District. [17] Both black and spotted leopards were recorded in Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park in West Java between 2005 and 2017. [18]

Frequency of melanism appears to be approximately 11% over the leopard's range. Data on the distribution of leopard populations indicates that melanism occurs in five subspecies in the wild: the Indian leopard, Javan leopard, African leopard, Indochinese leopard (P. p. delacouri) and Sri Lankan leopard (P. p. kotiya). Based on records from camera traps, melanistic leopards occur foremost in tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. [19]

Melanism in the leopard is conferred by a recessive allele. [20] It is thought that melanism confers a selective advantage under certain conditions since it is more common in regions of dense forest, where light levels are lower. Preliminary studies also suggest that melanism might be linked to beneficial mutations in the immune system. [21] The typical spots and rosettes are present but hidden due to the excess melanin. [22]

The taxonomic status of captive black leopards and the extent of hybridization between the Javan leopard and other leopard subspecies is uncertain. Therefore, coordinated breeding programs for black leopards do not exist in European and North American zoos. [23] Black leopards occupy space needed for breeding endangered leopard subspecies and are not included within the North American Species Survival Plan. [24] [25] A black Amur leopard (P. p. orientalis) was exhibited at the San Diego Zoo in 2017. [26]

A pseudo-melanistic leopard has a normal background color, but the spots are more densely packed than normal, and merge to obscure the golden-brown background color. Any spots on the flanks and limbs that have not merged into the mass of swirls and stripes are unusually small and discrete, rather than forming rosettes. The face and underparts are paler and dappled, like those of ordinary spotted leopards. [27]

Jaguar

Black jaguar.jpg
A melanistic jaguar
Jaguar.jpg
A melanistic jaguar at the Henry Doorly Zoo

In 1801, Félix de Azara described a black jaguar observed by local people near the Paraná River in Paraguay. [28] In 2004, a female black jaguar was recorded in Mexico's Sierra Madre Occidental. [29] In 2009, a black jaguar was photographed by a camera trap for the first time in Costa Rica's Alberto Manuel Brenes Biological Reserve. [30] In Barbilla National Park, black jaguars were recorded in 2013. [31] In the mountains of the Cordillera de Talamanca, 104 records of jaguars were obtained between 2010 and 2019; 26 of them showed melanistic jaguars. [32] In eastern Panama, black jaguars were repeatedly photographed in the Mamoní River Valley between 2016 and 2018, mostly in primary forest. [33] Melanism in the jaguar is caused by deletions in the melanocortin 1 receptor gene and conferred by a dominant allele. [34] Five black jaguars were monitored by researchers in the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve in the Brazilian State of Amazonas between 2003 and 2018. The researchers studied their behaviour in Várzea forest. [35]

Cougar

There is no authenticated case of a truly melanistic cougar. No specimen has been photographed or killed in the wild, nor has it ever been bred in captivity. Unconfirmed sightings known as the "North American black panther" are currently attributed to errors in species identification by non-experts, and by the mimetic exaggeration of size. [36] [ better source needed ][ clarification needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felidae</span> Family of mammals

Felidae is the family of mammals in the order Carnivora colloquially referred to as cats. A member of this family is also called a felid. The term "cat" refers both to felids in general and specifically to the domestic cat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaguar</span> Large cat native to the Americas

The jaguar is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus Panthera native to the Americas. With a body length of up to 1.85 m and a weight of up to 158 kg (348 lb), it is the biggest cat species in the Americas and the third largest in the world. Its distinctively marked coat features pale yellow to tan colored fur covered by spots that transition to rosettes on the sides, although a melanistic black coat appears in some individuals. The jaguar's powerful bite allows it to pierce the carapaces of turtles and tortoises, and to employ an unusual killing method: it bites directly through the skull of mammalian prey between the ears to deliver a fatal blow to the brain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leopard</span> Large spotted cat native to Africa and Asia

The leopard is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera. It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of 92–183 cm (36–72 in) with a 66–102 cm (26–40 in) long tail and a shoulder height of 60–70 cm (24–28 in). Males typically weigh 30.9–72 kg (68–159 lb), and females 20.5–43 kg (45–95 lb).

Panthera is a genus within the family Felidae that was named and described by Lorenz Oken in 1816 who placed all the spotted cats in this group. Reginald Innes Pocock revised the classification of this genus in 1916 as comprising the tiger, lion, jaguar, and leopard on the basis of common features of their skulls. Results of genetic analysis indicate that the snow leopard also belongs to the genus Panthera, a classification that was accepted by IUCN Red List assessors in 2008.

The term "big cat" is typically used to refer to any of the five living members of the genus Panthera, namely the tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard, as well as the non-pantherine cheetah and cougar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melanism</span> Congenital excess of melanin in an organism resulting in dark pigment

Melanism is the congenital excess of melanin in an organism resulting in dark pigment.

A Panthera hybrid is a crossbreed between individuals of any of the five species of the genus Panthera: the tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard. Most hybrids would not be perpetuated in the wild as the territories of the parental species do not overlap and the males are usually infertile. Mitochondrial genome research revealed that wild hybrids were also present in ancient times. The mitochondrial genomes of the snow leopard and the lion were more similar to each other than to other Panthera species, indicating that at some point in their history, the female progeny of male ancestors of modern snow leopards and female ancestors of modern lions interbred with male ancestors of modern snow leopards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pantherinae</span> Subfamily of felids

The Pantherinae is a subfamily of the Felidae; it was named and first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1917 as only including the Panthera species. The Pantherinae genetically diverged from a common ancestor between 9.32 to 4.47 million years ago and 10.67 to 3.76 million years ago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African leopard</span> Leopard subspecies

The African leopard is the nominate subspecies of the leopard, native to many countries in Africa. It is widely distributed in most of sub-Saharan Africa, but the historical range has been fragmented in the course of habitat conversion. Leopards have also been recorded in North Africa as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosette (zoology)</span> Rose-like markings on fur and skin

A rosette is a rose-like marking or formation found on the fur and skin of some animals, particularly cats. Rosettes are used to camouflage the animal, either as a defense mechanism or as a stalking tool. Predators use their rosettes to simulate the different shifting of shadows and shade, helping the animals to remain hidden from their prey. Rosettes can be grouped in clusters around other spots, or may appear as blotches on the fur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arabian leopard</span> Subspecies of mammals

The Arabian leopard is the smallest leopard subspecies. It was described in 1830 and is native to the Arabian Peninsula, where it was widely distributed in rugged hilly and montane terrain until the late 1970s. Today, the population is severely fragmented and thought to decline continuously. Previously in 2008, an estimated 45–200 individuals in three isolated subpopulations were restricted to western Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen. However, as of 2023, it is estimated that 100–120 in total remains, with 70-84 mature individuals, in Oman and Yemen, and it is possibly extinct in Saudi Arabia. The current population trend is suspected to be decreasing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sri Lankan leopard</span> Leopard subspecies

The Sri Lankan leopard is a leopard subspecies native to Sri Lanka. It was first described in 1956 by Sri Lankan zoologist Paules Edward Pieris Deraniyagala.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian leopard</span> Leopard subspecies

The Indian leopard is a subspecies of the leopard that is widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent and is threatened by illegal trade of skins and body parts, and persecution due to human-leopard conflict and livestock depredation. A national census of leopards around tiger habitats was carried out in India in 2014, except the northeast. 7,910 individuals were estimated in surveyed areas and a national total of 12,000–14,000 speculated.

A white panther is a white specimen of any of several species of larger cat. "Panther" is used in some parts of North America to mean the cougar, in South America to mean the jaguar, and elsewhere to mean the leopard. A white panther may then be a white cougar, a white jaguar, or a white leopard. The genus name Panthera is a taxonomic category that contains all the species of a particular group of felids, but as a general term "panther" is also used for other felids, more commonly for melanistic individuals, but also for white or normally coloured individuals.

<i>Panthera pardus tulliana</i> Leopard subspecies

Panthera pardus tulliana is a leopard subspecies native to the Iranian Plateau and surrounding areas encompassing Turkey, the Caucasus, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Iraq, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and possibly Pakistan. Since 2016, it has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, as the wild population is estimated at less than 1,000 mature individuals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parc des Félins</span> Zoo in France

Parc des Félins is a zoological park in France dedicated to the breeding and conservation of wild members of the cat family. It is located in the commune of Lumigny-Nesles-Ormeaux in Seine-et-Marne, about 53.6 km (33.3 mi) southeast of Paris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snow leopard</span> Species of large felid

The snow leopard, commonly known as the ounce, is a species of large cat in the genus Panthera of the family Felidae. The species is native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because the global population is estimated to number fewer than 10,000 mature individuals and is expected to decline about 10% by 2040. It is mainly threatened by poaching and habitat destruction following infrastructural developments. It inhabits alpine and subalpine zones at elevations of 3,000–4,500 m (9,800–14,800 ft), ranging from eastern Afghanistan, the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau to southern Siberia, Mongolia and western China. In the northern part of its range, it also lives at lower elevations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Javan leopard</span> Subspecies of leopard

The Javan leopard is a leopard subspecies confined to the Indonesian island of Java. It has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2021. The population is estimated at 188–571 mature individuals in 22 fragmented subpopulations and a declining population trend. The total remaining habitat is estimated at only 2,267.9 to 3,277.3 km2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indochinese leopard</span> Leopard subspecies

The Indochinese leopard is a leopard subspecies native to mainland Southeast Asia and southern China. In Indochina, leopards are rare outside protected areas and threatened by habitat loss due to deforestation as well as poaching for the illegal wildlife trade. In 2016, the population was previously thought to comprise 973–2,503 mature individuals, with only 409–1,051 breeding adults. The historical range had decreased by more than 90%. However, as of 2019, it is estimated that there are 77-766 mature Indochinese leopards and that their numbers are decreasing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anjali Watson</span> Sri Lankan conservationist

Anjali Watson is a Sri Lankan conservationist. She is known for her contributions to leopard conservation and founded the Wilderness and Wildlife Conservation Trust, a conservation and research organisation.

References

  1. ↑ Delamétherie, J.-C. (1788). "Description d'une Panthère noire" [Description of a black Panther]. Observations et Mémoires sur la Physique, sur l'Histoire Naturelle et sur les Arts et Métiers, etc. (in French). 33: 45.
  2. ↑ Meyer, F. A. A. (1794). "Über de la Metheries schwarzen Panther [About de la Metheries black Panther]". Zoologische Annalen (in German). Vol. Erster Band. Weimar: Im Verlage des Industrie-Comptoirs. pp. 394–396.
  3. 1 2 Pocock, R. I. (1930). "The Panthers and Ounces of Asia". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 34 (1): 307–336.
  4. ↑ Cuvier, G. (1809). "Recherches sur les espėces vivantes de grands chats, pour servir de preuves et d'éclaircissement au chapitre sur les carnassiers fossils". Annales du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. XIV: 136–164.
  5. ↑ Blanford, W. T. (1888). "Felis pardus. The Leopard or Panther". The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Mammalia: Volume 1. London: Taylor and Francis. pp. 67–71.
  6. ↑ Mason, F. (1882). "F. pardus, L. The leopard". Burma, its people and productions; or, Notes on the fauna, flora, and minerals of Tenasserim, Pegu, and Burma. Vol. 1. Geology, mineralogy, and zoology (Rewritten and enlarged by W. Theobald ed.). Hertford: Chief Commissioner of British Burma. p. 472.
  7. ↑ Pocock, R. I. (1929). "Black panthers – an inquiry". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 33 (3): 693–694.
  8. ↑ Pocock, R. I. (1930). "The Panthers and Ounces of Asia". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 34 (1): 65–82.
  9. ↑ Young, T. P. & Evans, M. E. (1993). "Alpine vertebrates of Mount Kenya, with particular notes on the rock hyrax". Journal of the East African Natural History Society. 82 (202): 54–79.
  10. ↑ Pilfold, N. W.; Letoluai, A.; Ruppert, K.; Glikman, J. A.; Stacy-Dawes, J.; O'Connor, D. & Owen, M. (2019). "Confirmation of black leopard (Panthera pardus pardus) living in Laikipia County, Kenya". African Journal of Ecology. 57 (2): 270–273. doi:10.1111/aje.12586. S2CID   92543492.
  11. ↑ Sayyed, A. & Mahabal, A. (2013). "Records of the melanistic Leopard Panthera pardus (Linnaeus) from Western Ghats area of Maharashtra and Karnataka, India". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 110 (2): 151.
  12. ↑ Sayyed, A. & Mahabal, A. (2015). "Second record of melanistic leopard Panthera pardus (Linnaeus) from Satara, Maharashtra: a case of roadkill". Zoo's Print. 30 (5): 29.
  13. ↑ Thapa, K.; Pradhan, N. M. B.; Barker, J.; Dahal, M.; Bhandari, A. R.; Gurung, G. S.; Rai, D. P.; Thapa, G. J.; Shrestha, S.; Singh, G. R. (2013). "High elevation record of a leopard cat in the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area, Nepal". Cat News (58): 26–27.
  14. ↑ Ngoprasert, D.; Lynam, A. J. & Gale, G. A. (2007). "Human disturbance affects habitat use and behaviour of Asiatic leopard "Panthera pardus" in Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand". Oryx. 41 (3): 343–351. doi: 10.1017/S0030605307001102 .
  15. ↑ Steinmetz, R.; Seuaturien, N.; Chutipong, W. & Poonnil, B. (2009). The ecology and conservation of tigers and their prey in Kuiburi National Park, Thailand (PDF) (Report). Bangkok: WWF Thailand, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 May 2021.
  16. ↑ Kawanishi, K.; Sunquist, M. E.; Eizirik, E.; Lynam, A. J.; Ngoprasert, D.; Shahruddin, W. N. W.; Rayan, D. M.; Sharma, D. S. K. & Steinmetz, R. (2010). "Near fixation of melanism in panthers of the Malay Peninsula". Journal of Zoology. 282 (3): 201–206. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2010.00731.x.
  17. ↑ Hambali, K.; Fazli, N. F. M.; Amir, A.; Fauzi, N.; Hassin, N. H.; Abas, M. A.; Karim, M. F. A. & Sow, A. Y. (2021). "The discovery of a melanistc Leopard Panthera pardus delacouri (Linnaeus, 1758) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) at Bukit Kudung in Jeli, Kelantan, Peninsular Malaysia: conservation and ecotourism". Journal of Threatened Taxa. 13 (1): 17513–17516. doi: 10.11609/jott.6060.13.1.17513-17516 .
  18. ↑ Ario, A.; Supian; Hidayat, E.; Hidayatullah, R.; Rustiadi, A.; Gunawan, A.; Triprajawan, T.; Sopian, I.; Zatnika, R. R.; Yusup, D. M.; Hindrayani, W.; Mulyanto, A. & Iskandar, D. (2018). "Population dynamics and ecology of Javan leopard, Panthera pardus melas, in Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park, West Java". Journal of Indonesian Natural History. 6 (1): 6–13.
  19. ↑ Da Silva L. G., K.; Kawanishi, K.; Henschel P.; Kittle, A.; Sanei, A.; Reebin, A.; Miquelle, D.; Stein, A. B.; Watson, A.; Kekule, L. B.; Machado, R. B. & Eizirik, E. (2017). "Mapping black panthers: Macroecological modeling of melanism in leopards (Panthera pardus)". PLOS ONE. 12 (4): e0170378. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1270378D. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170378 . PMC   5381760 . PMID   28379961.
  20. ↑ Robinson, R. (1970). "Inheritance of the black form of the leopard Panthera pardus". Genetica. 41 (1): 190–197. doi:10.1007/BF00958904. PMID   5480762. S2CID   5446868.
  21. ↑ Sunquist, F. (2007). "Malaysian Mystery Leopards". National Wildlife Magazine . 45 (1).
  22. ↑ Schneider, A.; David, V. A.; Johnson, W. E.; O'Brien, S. J.; Barsh, G. S.; Menotti-Raymond, M. & Eizirik, E. (2012). "How the leopard hides its spots: ASIP mutations and melanism in wild cats". PLOS ONE. 7 (12): e50386. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...750386S. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050386 . PMC   3520955 . PMID   23251368.
  23. ↑ Gippoliti, S. & Meijaard, E. (2007). "Taxonomic uniqueness of the Javan Leopard; an opportunity for zoos to save it". Contributions to Zoology. 76 (1): 55–57. doi:10.1163/18759866-07601005. S2CID   55715897.
  24. ↑ Richardson, D. M. (2001). "A simple analysis of leopard (Panthera pardus) space within EAZA collections". In Hiddinga, B.; Brouwer, K. (eds.). EAZA Yearbook 1999/2000. Amsterdam: EAZA Executive Office. pp. 391–392.
  25. ↑ Swanson, B.; Fletchall, N. & Shoemaker, A. (2003). Felid Taxon Advisory Group North American Regional Collection Plan 2003–2005. Bay Lake: Disney's Animal Kingdom.
  26. ↑ Parham, D. (2017). "Black Beauty". Zoonooz.
  27. ↑ Gamble, C. (2004). Leopards: Natural History & Conservation. Stillwater, MN: Voyageur Press. ISBN   978-0896586567.
  28. ↑ Azara, F. de (1801). "L'Yagouarété". Essais sur l'histoire naturelle des quadrupedes de la province du Paraguay. Vol. 1. Paris: Charles Pougens. pp. 114–132.
  29. ↑ Dinets, V. & Polechla, P. J. (2005). "First documentation of melanism in the jaguar (Panthera onca) from northern Mexico". Cat News. 42: 18. Archived from the original on 26 September 2006.
  30. ↑ Núñez, M. C. & Jiménez, E. C. (2009). "A new record of a black jaguar, Panthera onca (Carnivora: Felidae) in Costa Rica". Brenesia. 71: 67–68.
  31. ↑ Sáenz-Bolaños, C.; Montalvo, V.; Fuller, T. K. & Carrillo, E. (2015). "Records of black jaguars at Parque Nacional Barbilla, Costa Rica". Cat News (62): 38–39.
  32. ↑ Mooring, M. S.; Eppert, A. A. & Botts, R. T. (2020). "Natural Selection of Melanism in Costa Rican Jaguar and Oncilla: A Test of Gloger's Rule and the Temporal Segregation Hypothesis". Tropical Conservation Science. 13: 1–15. doi: 10.1177/1940082920910364 .
  33. ↑ Yacelga, M. & Craighead, K. (2019). "Melanistic jaguars in Panama". Cat News (70): 39–41.
  34. ↑ Eizirik, E.; Yuhki, N.; Johnson, W. E.; Menotti-Raymond, M.; Hannah, S. S. & O'Brien, S. J. (2003). "Molecular Genetics and Evolution of Melanism in the Cat Family". Current Biology. 13 (5): 448–453. doi: 10.1016/S0960-9822(03)00128-3 . PMID   12620197. S2CID   19021807.
  35. ↑ Publicidade, W5. "Onça-preta é monitorada na Amazônia por pesquisadores do Instituto Mamirauá". Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 20 August 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  36. ↑ Holbert, C. (2002). "Stranded in the Wasteland: Literary Allusion in The Sharpest Sight". Studies in American Indian Literatures. 14 (1): 3. JSTOR   20737121.
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