Panther and Jaguar are two different members of the cat family. Both of them are large cats and have the same food: meat.
Key Takeaways
- Panther is a general term used to describe large cats of the family Felidae, including black variants of leopards and jaguars. In contrast, a jaguar is a specific species of large cat native to the Americas.
- Panthers can refer to black leopards (in Africa and Asia) and black jaguars (in the Americas). In contrast, jaguars are a distinct species characterized by their stocky build and distinctive coat pattern.
- Panthers are melanistic, meaning they have black pigmentation, while jaguars have tawny coats with dark rosettes and spots.
Panther vs Jaguar
They are distinguished from each other in terms of their body colour- Panthers being black and Jaguars having spots. Sometimes, they are considered the same. None of these statements is entirely wrong, but there is more to this than meets the eye.
The difference between Panther and Jaguar is that Panther is the broader term for any big cat. It is the name of a genus and not species. On the other hand, Jaguar is a panther with black spots on its body and is mainly found in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America.
A Jaguar is a big cat found mainly in Central and South America. After tigers and lions, it ranks third in terms of body size and looks similar to that Leopards found in Asia and Africa.
On the other hand, Panther is the name of the genus used to describe any family member of big cats. It may be a tiger, leopard, mountain lion, or Jaguar.
However, the term Panther is also used to refer to Black Panthers and White Panthers.
Comparison Table
| Parameter of Comparison | Panther | Jaguar |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | It refers to a genus of the Felidae family. | It refers to a species of the Felidae family. |
| Native to | The Americas, Asia and Africa. | Mainly in South America and a smaller population in Central America. |
| Maximum weight | Ranges up to 330 kg | Ranges up to 100 kgs. |
| Colour pattern | Ranges from dark brown to black. | Ranges from tawny yellow to reddish-brown colour. |
| Lifespan | 12 to 17 years. | 12 to 15 years. |
What is Panther?
It is the general term used to describe any feline with black pigments viz leopards, cougars, jaguars, tigers or mountain lions belonging to the big cat family. However, it is commonly used to refer to the Black Panther.
It is found in three continents: Africa, Asia and the Americas.
The Panther is a mighty and shifty member of the big cat family. As evident from its diverse geographical origin, it is very adaptive too.
Despite belonging to a taxonomic category that ranks higher than a species, it is regarded as endangered because of the declining numbers of Jaguars and Leopards in their native habitats.
The body colour of the Panther ranges from dark brown to black, except for the White and the Florida Panthers, both of them found in North America.
The most striking feature of Panthers that distinguishes them from other felines of the cat family is their ability to roar. Their height and weight differ in terms of their species and sex.
Some of them, especially males, can reach even 250 kilogrammes.
Panthers are brilliant and guarded animals. They lead a very solitary life, spending the nighttime hunting and daytime resting.
Their dark brown or black fur helps them blend into the forest surroundings and makes them invisible to the naked eye in the darkness of the woodlands. This, in turn, enables them to detect and trap their prey without being noticed.
The fact that they are excellent climbers is an added advantage.
When the Panthers are born, they don’t open their eyes until they have completed two weeks. Before the completion of a few months, they remain highly vulnerable to meat-eaters, especially in the absence of their mothers, who have to go for a hunt.
After a few months, they become capable enough to accompany their mothers to search for prey and don’t leave her side until they have reached the age of 2 years. After that, they separate themselves to establish their territory.
Panthers, especially males, are very territorial animals and are threatened by the presence of other males in their territory.
What is Jaguar?
It refers to a species of the big cat family, mainly found in the Americas. It is also the only feline of the Panthera genus indigenous to the Americas. It is the third biggest among the kittens in the world (others being tiger and lion).
In terms of appearance, they are very similar to Leopards (found in Asia and Africa), but the spots found in the Jaguars’ bodies are more complex, and a place is found in their centre. They are agile and powerful and, like any other cat of the Panthera genus, lead a solitary and nocturnal lifestyle.
In several ancient South American cultures, Jaguars were revered as gods. Their representations appeared in the art and archaeology of the expanse of their natural habitat, which initially ranges from Central Argentina to the South-Western region of the United States of America.
However, since the 1880s, they have lost much of their territory due to industrialization and urbanisation. They are mainly found in the tropical rainforests of the Amazon Basin.
However, a smaller population of the Jaguars is also found in the savannahs and grasslands of the Central American region.
What distinguishes Jaguars from other cats is their ability to swim. As swimmers, they are pretty good and prey on turtles, fishes and even caimans with their powerful jaws, which help them penetrate the skulls of their prey.
They also like to have peccaries, deer, tapirs, capybaras and several other terrestrial animals by trapping them at night.
Like any other panther, Jaguars are also very territorial. They are born blind and remain vulnerable to meat-eaters until they become capable enough to accompany their mothers for hunt.
Their mothers guard them at night, protecting them from approaching animals, including their fathers. They separate from their mothers after two or more years.
Main Differences Between Panther and Jaguar
- Both Panthers and Jaguars are a part of the cat family. But the former is a genus while the latter is a species.
- Jaguars are indigenous only to the Central and South Americas. At the same time, Panthers live in various natural habitats in three major world continents viz Africa, Asia and the Americas.
- Panthers vary in terms of their weight. Some of them even reach 330 kilogrammes. On the other hand, Jaguars do not have a limit of 100 kilogrammes.
- Depending on their species, panthers assume different colour patterns and appearances, ranging from dark brown to black. Whereas, Jaguars are primarily of tawny yellow colour, which can go to reddish-brown.
- The lifespan of Panthers also differs in terms of their species. The minimum-maximum limit of the lifespan of a Panther is 12 to 17 years. At the same time, a Jaguar lives for 12-15 years.
- https://a-z-animals.com/animals/panther/
- https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/j/jaguar/
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