Definition
noun
A taxonomic subfamily belonging to the family Felidae, and includes the genera Panthera and Neofelis
Supplement
Felidae is a taxonomic family belonging to the suborder Feliormia, of order Carnivora. It is comprised of two subfamilies: Pantherinae (big cats) and Felinae. The pantherine cats have an imperfectly ossified suspensorium of the hyoid. The elastic tendon at the interior confers great mobility upon the larynx and help distend the back of the mouth greatly.1
Pantherinae is a subfamily that is comprised of two genera: (1) Panthera and (2) Neofelis. This subfamily is first described by Reginald Innes Pocock, a British zoologist, in 1917.1 The genus Panthera is comprised of lion, tiger, jaguar, and leopard. They share common cranial features. These panthers are capable of roaring, which is assumed to be due to special morphological features of their larynx that enable them to roar.2 Neofelis includes the clouded leopard and sunda clouded leopard.
Scientific classification:
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Carnivora
- Suborder: Feliformia
- Family: Felidae
- Subfamily: Pantherinae (Pocock, 1917)
See also:
- Felidae
- tiger
- lion
- jaguar
- leopard
Reference(s):
1 Pocock, R. I. (1917). The Classification of existing Felidae. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History. Series 8, Volume XX: 329–350.
2 Nowak, R. M. (1999). Walker’s Mammals of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press.
