A Black Panther is not a real animal species.

Space Cats · Joined: 14 Jul 2011 Posts: 2143

It's just a colour variant of a large cat. You can have Black Panther Cougars, Black Panther Leopards, etc. But there's no such big cat simply referred to as a Black Panther. I bring this up because of a show I've been watching that is quite interesting.

Silvador · Joined: 20 Oct 2009 Posts: 10873

Who ever said it was?

Artyom Derison · Joined: 04 Jul 2011 Posts: 1435

What show is this?

Space Cats · Joined: 14 Jul 2011 Posts: 2143

Silvador wrote: Who ever said it was?

I always assumed it was, and noticed people saying they had a Black
Panther character and now with a plethora of new information I am wondering as to what species of big cat they actually are. Considering that Panther is a term that can mean Lion, Tiger, Cheetah, but I think probably a Jaguar. I also found out that Lobsters can theoretically live forever but that is not as interesting for this forum me thinks.
Artyom Derison wrote: What show is this?

QI. I love Stephen Fry so much!

Silvador · Joined: 20 Oct 2009 Posts: 10873

Space Cats wrote: Silvador wrote: Who ever said it was?

I always assumed it was, and noticed people saying they had a Black
Panther character and now with a plethora of new information I am wondering as to what species of big cat they actually are. Considering that Panther is a term that can mean Lion, Tiger, Cheetah, but I think probably a Jaguar. I also found out that Lobsters can theoretically live forever but that is not as interesting for this forum me thinks.
Well, let me clear it up for you with a couple of visual examples...

Space Cats · Joined: 14 Jul 2011 Posts: 2143

I can't see some of them unfortunately, but what species of big cat are each of them? The middle and last are Jaguars I think, not sure about the second from the top. It might also be a jaguar.

Chaosengine · Joined: 18 Dec 2008 Posts: 3307

Chaosengine · Joined: 18 Dec 2008 Posts: 3307

*F***** Double Post!!*

Silvador · Joined: 20 Oct 2009 Posts: 10873

Space Cats wrote: I can't see some of them unfortunately, but what species of big cat are each of them? Does it matter? They're big, black cats. Short of spots, what's the blasted difference?

Space Cats · Joined: 14 Jul 2011 Posts: 2143

Apparently they're jaguars in Latin America and in Asia and Africa they're Leopards. It's really just Melanism, like Albinism only on the opposite of the spectrum. There are wolves with the same thing and squirrels too, which sounds pretty cute to me. I think it goes something like Black Panther Jaguar or White Panther Leopard, or simply a Panther Cougar if it is of a normal colour, considering Panther is just a big cat. You could also just say Melanistic Jaguar and Albino Leopard without the panther. So Black Panther just says "black color variant of a big cat" without distinguishing it's actual species.

Silvador · Joined: 20 Oct 2009 Posts: 10873

Well please, tell me the difference because I don't think I can fathom going on another day without being able to accurately describe what specific species my ficticious anthropomorphic representation of myself on the internet is.

Wolfbane007 · Joined: 27 Sep 2010 Posts: 602

STOP TRYING TO CRUSH MY DREAMS, SIR!

It's just because I'm white isn't it?

Mayfield · Joined: 21 May 2010 Posts: 11718

Actually, I did a little googling, and there is no such thing as a straight up panther. *shrugs* A certain big cat is considered a panther in some places but not in others. In Africa and Asia, leopards are also called panthers. In South and Central America, it's the jaguar. In North America it's the cougar/mountain lion. So where I am, my character could be considered a panther.

And Wolfbane, lol.

Space Cats · Joined: 14 Jul 2011 Posts: 2143

I guess the people who study big cats would look for features other than their coats, Jaguars would have a larger build than a Leopard and also have rounder heads and shorter legs than them and stuff like that.

Space Cats · Joined: 14 Jul 2011 Posts: 2143

Mayfield wrote: Actually, I did a little googling, and there is no such thing as a straight up panther. *shrugs* A certain big cat is considered a panther in some places but not in others. In Africa and Asia, leopards are also called panthers. In South and Central America, it's the jaguar. In North America it's the cougar/mountain lion. So where I am, my character could be considered a panther.

And Wolfbane, lol.

The phrase probably originated from the Panthera genus of big cat which refers to lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars. Panther is somewhat informal.

Artyom Derison · Joined: 04 Jul 2011 Posts: 1435

That's what I was thinking Spacey. Would a Puma fall into something like this since there not a species of cat??

Mayfield · Joined: 21 May 2010 Posts: 11718

Artyom Derison wrote: That's what I was thinking Spacey. Would a Puma fall into something like this since there not a species of cat?? Puma is actually just another term used for mountain lions and some jaguars.

Space Cats · Joined: 14 Jul 2011 Posts: 2143

I think Puma is a genus as well that refers to cougars and other old world wild cats.

Tearlach · Joined: 04 Oct 2008 Posts: 2744

There is such a thing as a Black Cougar. I know because I have seen 'Desperate House wives'.

Chaosengine · Joined: 18 Dec 2008 Posts: 3307

Tearlach wrote: There is such a thing as a Black Cougar. I know because I have seen 'Desperate House wives'.

Win.

Tearlach · Joined: 04 Oct 2008 Posts: 2744

I found a picture of a very rare black and white panther.

Artyom Derison · Joined: 04 Jul 2011 Posts: 1435

Tearlach wrote: I found a picture of a very rare black and white panther.

German engineering at its best.

Isn't that a King Tiger??

Shadow_Twisted · Joined: 30 Aug 2008 Posts: 1435

[quote="Space Cats"]It's really just Melanism, like Albinism only on the opposite of the spectrum. There are wolves with the same thing and squirrels too, which sounds pretty cute to me.[quote]

I've seen black squirrels before in the northwestern part of central Pennsylvania, so perhaps they had this melanism.

Tearlach · Joined: 04 Oct 2008 Posts: 2744

Artyom Derison wrote:
German engineering at its best.
Isn't that a King Tiger??

Very similar, its a late variant Panther D. The King Tiger was slightly bigger with a longer turret.

Tearlach · Joined: 04 Oct 2008 Posts: 2744

[quote="Shadow_Twisted"][quote="Space Cats"]It's really just Melanism, like Albinism only on the opposite of the spectrum. There are wolves with the same thing and squirrels too, which sounds pretty cute to me. Quote:

I've seen black squirrels before in the northwestern part of central Pennsylvania, so perhaps they had this melanism.

Very likely. For some reason melanism is passed on more frequently then its albino counterpart. The fact that a pure white animal stands out more and would be more prone to attack is probably a major contributing factor.

Arcanus · Joined: 28 Aug 2011 Posts: 1385

umm not to go off topic or anything, but why is the quote thing screwed up??

Artyom Derison · Joined: 04 Jul 2011 Posts: 1435

Tearlach wrote: Artyom Derison wrote:
German engineering at its best.
Isn't that a King Tiger??

Very similar, its a late variant Panther D. The King Tiger was slightly bigger with a longer turret.

Oh okay I always got those two mixed up.

Tearlach · Joined: 04 Oct 2008 Posts: 2744

Arcanus wrote: umm not to go off topic or anything, but why is the quote thing screwed up??
Shit happens. *Shrugs*

Rune174 · Joined: 29 May 2009 Posts: 5291

So fur is mostly based on environment, weather, and season in short.

Pride · Joined: 02 Oct 2011 Posts: 294

there is no Black Panther :O wow im shocked.

Wait...is there a Pink Panther?