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Jaguar Animal FactsJaguar animal fact # 1The scientific name for the jaguar is Panthera onca. It is found in the genus Panthera within the cat family Felidae, order Carnivora. The Jaguar is the only of the Panthera species that can be found wild in the Americas. The other members of this genus are Panthera leo (lion), Panthera tigris (tiger) and Panthera pardus (leopard), and these four species are the only cats capable of roaring. The roaring has been made possible by a modified hyoid bone.Jaguar animal fact # 2Panthera onca is currently divided into eight subspecies, but this might change in the future since most experts agree that subspecies of cats might have been described to freely in the past. More research and evidence is needed before we can accurately decide if and how Panthera onca should be divided into subspecies. |
The current jaguar subspecies are:
Panthera onca onca
Panthera onca arizonensis
Panthera onca centralis
Panthera onca goldmani
Panthera onca hernandesii
Panthera onca palustris
Panthera onca peruvianus
Panthera onca veracucis
Jaguar animal fact # 3
Jaguars can mate with the other large cat species in the Panthera genus – lions, tigers and leopards. Such hybridizations will usually occur in captivity when the jaguar is unable to find a mate from its own species. A female jaguar can give birth to liguars, tiguars and lepjags by mating with a lion, tiger or leopard. A male jaguar can father jaglions and jaguleps by mating with a lion or leopard. We do not do of any instances where a male jaguar has produced offspring with a tiger. Dogla is the Indian name for a natural hybrid of a tiger and a leopard, but there is only anecdotal evidence to support the theory of successful leopard to tigress mating.Jaguar animal fact # 4
Unlike the small housecat, the jaguar is very fond of water and is often found in marshlands, swamps and seasonally flooded regions. It is a keen swimmer and can catch fish as well as caimans. Forest living jaguars will often stay close to a river or stream.Jaguar animal facts # 5
The jaguar cat has the most powerful jaw structure of any cat, and the second most powerful jaw structure of any land living carnivore species. If an adult jaguar kills an 800 pound bull, it is strong enough to drag it 25 feet using its powerful jaws and subsequently pulverize the bones of the bull. Research performed on captive jaguars show that they can cause 6 mm (1/4 inch) deep dents in bowling balls. The bite of a jaguar is also strong enough to penetrate the shell of a turtle.Jaguar animal fact # 6
Most cats bite the neck of their prey in an effort to suffocate it or sever its spinal cord. The jaguar utilizes a completely different hunting technique by attacking the skull rather than the neck of its prey. The jaguar will pierce the brain with its strong teeth and thereby kill its prey. Since skulls tend to be hard, it is common for jaguars to break their teeth – especially as they become older.Jaguar animal fact # 7
The name Jaguar has been borrowed from one of the pre-Colombian American languages and translates "killer that takes its prey in a single bound".
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jaguar animal facts