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Today I Learned @lemmy.world Sjmarf @sh.itjust.works 8mo ago

TIL that black panthers aren’t a distinct species - they are jaguars or leopards with “melanism”, the opposite of albinism

The trait is caused by a recessive allele in the leopard, and a dominant allele in the jaguar.

Black Panther on Wikipedia

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37 comments

why do we say "black panther" if panthers are always black?
- I guess because one is Pink
- I think the mountain lion / cougar is sometimes called a panther, too. Like the Florida panther.
  
  The word is a little bit like raptor is used for some birds. It means big cat.
- I've only ever called them Panthers. Black Panthers are a social/political group.
  
  And a superhero

37 comments