DECIPHERING THE SCIENTIFIC NAME OF THE BLACK PANTHER

The intriguing black panther, a creature steeped in legend, possesses a scientific name that uncovers its true classification. It is not a distinct species but rather a melanistic phenotype of the leopard (Panthera pardus) or jaguar (Panthera onca). This means their ebony coloration is caused by an increased production of melanin, the pigment that