The terms panther and puma often cause confusion, but they refer to different concepts. A puma is a specific species, also known as a mountain lion, cougar, or catamount (Puma concolor). It is native to the Americas and is tan or brown in color. On the other hand, a panther is not a specific species but a term used to describe large cats with a solid black or dark coat, often caused by melanism. For example, a black panther could be a leopard (Panthera pardus) in Asia or Africa, or a jaguar (Panthera onca) in the Americas. Essentially, a puma is a defined species, while panther is a descriptive term based on coloration.
