What is the difference between these animals?

Question

what is the difference between a jaguar, puma, and a panther? is it just a color difference?

Answer 1

Color. And location. A puma and mountain lion are the same thing, just in different areas. Other variations can be found as well.

Answer 2

There is no actual species called a panther. Panther is just the name given to melanistic leopards (Panthera pardus) - that is, leopards with an excess of the dark pigment melanin, resulting in an almost totally black coat (the markings will still show up against the background in certain lights). Leopards are native to Africa and Asia, with melanism being more common in Asia.

Leopard image:

http://www.tulileopard.co.za/images/leop...

Melanistic leopard:

http://www.wherelightmeetsdark.com/image...

A jaguar is a different species (Panthera onca), found in Central and South America. It is larger and heavier than the leopard, with a shorter tail and broader head, and spots arranged in large, blotchy rosettes. Melanistic jaguars can occur, and some people also refer to these black jaguars as panthers, though this is not technically correct.

Jaguar image:

http://t3.pacific.edu/teams/M013105/PV-J...

The puma (Puma concolor), also known as the cougar or mountain lion, is found across North and South America. The subspecies found in Florida is often called the Florida panther, which can cause confusion. When referring to this animal, you should always specify FLORIDA panther, and not just say 'panther', though it is just as accurate to simply call this subspecies puma, cougar or mountain lion.

Puma image:

http://www.hoothollow.com/May-June%20200...

Answer 3

jaguar - panthera onca

puma-  puma concolor

Panther- Now that depends on what part of the world you reside in, in florida and other portions of the US it refers to a cougar, but the word is also used in regards to melanistic (Black) jaguars.