It is sexually dimorphic with males larger and heavier than females. The leopard is a slender and muscular cat, with relatively short limbs and a broad head. The cause of this morph known as a "strawberry leopard" or "pink panther" is not well understood. Leopards exhibiting erythrism were recorded between 19 in South Africa's Madikwe Game Reserve and in Mpumalanga. In India, nine pale and white leopards were reported between 19.
Melanism in leopards is caused by a recessive allele and is inherited as a recessive trait. Melanistic leopards are also known as black panthers. The leopard has a diploid chromosome number of 38. The leopard's rosettes differ from those of the jaguar ( Panthera onca), which are darker and with smaller spots inside. Its fur tends to grow longer in colder climates. Juveniles have woolly fur that appear to be dark-coloured due to the densely arranged spots. The guard hairs protecting the basal hairs are short, 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) in face and head, and increase in length toward the flanks and the belly to about 25–30 mm (1.0–1.2 in). Its white-tipped tail is about 60–100 cm (23.6–39.4 in) long, white underneath and with spots that form incomplete bands toward the end of the tail. This pattern is thought to be an adaptation to dense vegetation with patchy shadows, where it serves as camouflage. Rosette patterns are unique in each individual. The fur tends to be grayish in colder climates, and dark golden in rainforest habitats. Rosettes are circular in East African leopard populations, and tend to be squarish in Southern African and larger in Asian leopard populations. Spots fade toward the white underbelly and the insides and lower parts of the legs.
Leopards living in arid regions are pale cream, yellowish to ochraceous and rufous in colour those living in forests and mountains are much darker and deep golden. Its underbelly is white and its ringed tail is shorter than its body.
Pdfpen snow leopard skin#
Its skin colour varies between individuals from pale yellowish to dark golden with dark spots grouped in rosettes. The leopard's fur is generally soft and thick, notably softer on the belly than on the back. "Panther" is another common name, derived from Latin panther and ancient Greek πάνθηρ ( pánthēr) The generic name Panthera originates in Latin panthera, a hunting net for catching wild beasts to be used by the Romans in combats. The word λέοπάρδος originally referred to a cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus). Leopardos could be a compound of λέων ( leōn), meaning ' lion ', and πάρδος ( pardos), meaning ' spotted '. The English name "leopard" comes from Old French leupart or Middle French liepart, that derives from Latin leopardus and ancient Greek λέοπάρδος ( leopardos). Leopard skins have been popular in fashion. Leopards have had cultural roles in Ancient Greece, West Africa and modern Western culture. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because leopard populations are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, and are declining in large parts of the global range. Both male and female leopards typically reach sexual maturity at the age 2–2.5 years. Females usually give birth to a litter of 2–4 cubs once in 15–24 months. It is a solitary animal outside the mating season and when raising cubs. It relies on its spotted pattern for camouflage as it stalks and ambushes its prey, which it sometimes drags up a tree. It is an opportunistic predator, hunting mostly ungulates and primates. It is adapted to a variety of habitats ranging from rainforest to steppe, including arid and montane areas. They were formerly present across Europe, but became extinct in the region at the end of the Late Pleistocene, around 11,000 years ago. It initially evolved in Africa during the Early Pleistocene, before migrating into Eurasia around the Early-Middle Pleistocene transition. Today, eight subspecies are recognised in its wide range in Africa and Asia. The leopard was first described in 1758, and several subspecies were proposed in the 19th and 20th centuries. 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). It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. The leopard ( Panthera pardus) is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera. Present and historical distribution of the leopard
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