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black panther, informal term used to refer primarily to melanistic leopards (Panthera pardus) and jaguars (P. onca) that are characterized by a coat of black fur that stem from increased dark pigmentation. Black panthers do not belong to a separate species, and the word panther is a vernacular term that carries no formal taxonomic significance. Although the term black panther is applied loosely to other melanistic felines, it is most frequently used in conjunction with...