The main difference between tiger lion and leopard is their unique appearance. Tigers have dark vertical stripes on a white or orange background; lions have yellow-gold coats, and adult males have shaggy manes that range in color from blond to reddish brown to black, whereas leopards have spots or rosettes in their fur.
Tiger, lion, and leopard are three members of the common family Felidae. Panthera is the genus of the three. The main characteristic feature of these three animals is their ability to roar due to the incomplete ossification of the hyoid bone.
Key Areas Covered
- Tiger
- Fact, Features, Behavior
- Lion
- Fact, Features, Behavior
- Leopard
- Fact, Features, Behavior
- Similarities Between Tiger Lion and Leopard
- Outline of Common Features
- Difference Between Tiger Lion and Leopard
- Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Leopard, Lion, Tiger
Tiger – Facts, Features, Behavior
Tiger is a very large solitary cat with a yellow-brown coat with black stripes, native to the forests of Asia but becoming increasingly rare. It is the largest cat species of the genus Panthera. Tigers are most recognizable for their dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. Generally, tigers are apex predators and primarily prey on ungulates, such as deers and wild boars.
Figure 1: Tiger
Normally, tigers require large contiguous areas of habitat to support their requirements for prey and the rearing of their offspring.
Lion – Facts, Features, Behavior
Lion is a large tawny-colored cat that lives in pride and is native to Africa and north-western India. Male lions have a flowing shaggy mane and take little part in hunting, which is done cooperatively by the females. The most significant features of a lion are the muscular, broad-chested body, short, rounded head, round ears, and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail.
Figure 2: Lion
Moreover, lions are sexually dimorphic; adult male lions are larger than females and have a prominent mane. In addition, lions are a social species, forming groups called pride.
Leopard – Facts, Features, Behavior
Leopard is a large solitary cat with a fawn or brown coat with black spots, native to the forests of Africa and southern Asia. Moreover, it is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera, a member of the cat family, Felidae. Relatively, the leopard has short legs and a long body with a large skull. Similar in appearance to the jaguar, the fur of the leopard has marks of rosettes. But the rosettes are smaller, more densely packed, and without central spots.
Figure 3: Leopard
On the other hand, leopards are melanistic and are known as black panthers. Well-camouflaged fur, opportunistic hunting behavior, broad diet, strength, and its ability to adapt to a variety of habitats ranging from rainforest to steppe, including arid and montane areas are the significant features of a leopard.
Similarities Between Tiger Lion and Leopard
- Tiger, lion, and leopard are three cat species that belong to the genus Panthera and the family,
- The dorsal profile of their skull is flattish or evenly convex.
- Moreover, their frontal interorbital area is not noticeably elevated, and the area behind the elevation is less steeply sloped.
- Their basicranial axis is nearly horizontal.
- The inner chamber of their bullae is large and the outer is small. The partition between them is close to the external auditory meatus. The convexly rounded chin is sloping.
- Furthermore, all Panthera species have an incompletely ossified hyoid bone, and, a specially adapted larynx with proportionally larger vocal folds is covered in a large fibro-elastic pad. These characteristics enable them to roar. Furthermore, the roar is an especially loud call with a distinctive pattern that depends on the species.
- In addition, Panthera species can prusten, which is a short, soft, snorting sound; it is used during contact between friendly individuals.
Difference Between Tiger Lion and Leopard
Definition
A tiger is a very large solitary cat with a yellow-brown coat striped with black, native to the forests of Asia but becoming increasingly rare. A lion is a large tawny-colored cat that lives in pride, and inhabits Africa and north-western India; the male has a flowing shaggy mane and takes little part in hunting, which is done cooperatively by the females, whereas a leopard is a large solitary cat that has a fawn or brown coat with black spots, native to the forests of Africa and southern Asia.
Behavior
In general, the tiger is the strongest big cat, the lion is the fastest and the leopard is the most arboreal and agile.
Weight
Tigers and lions are the same weight while leopards are lighter in weight.
Height
The lion and tiger have similar heights while leopards are shorter.
Length
Tigers have the lengthiest body while the length of lions and leopards is less.
Skull Length and Width
The lion has the highest skull length and width while the tiger and leopard have less skull length and width.
Prey Size
The lion has the largest prey size while the tiger and leopard have smaller prey sizes.
Sociability
Lions are social animals while tigers and leopards are solitary animals.
Conclusion
In brief, the tiger, lion, and leopard are three cat species of the genus Panthera. Also, their main common feature is their ability to roar. However, the tigers have dark vertical stripes on a white or orange background; lions have yellow-gold coats, and adult males have shaggy manes that range in color from blond to reddish brown to black, whereas leopards have spots or rosettes in their fur. Therefore, the main difference between the tiger lion and leopard is their unique appearance.
References:
- Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, August 22). Panthera. Wikipedia. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
Image Courtesy:
- “Walking tiger female ” By Sharp Photography – Own Work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
- “Lion waiting in Namibia ” By Kevin Pluck – Own Work (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
- “African leopard male (cropped)” By Sumeet Moghe- Own Work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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