Comparative study of some elements of the forelimbs and hindlimbs and teeth of the cougar (Puma concolor) and jaguar (Panthera onca)

Abstract

A comparative osteologic study of specimens from the two big cats of America, cougar (Puma concolor) and jaguar (Panthera onca), was undertaken. Twenty nine specimens from cougars and thirty one from jaguars that were housed in different osteological collections in Mexico were analyzed. The main differences were that the muscle attachments of the elements of the forelimbs and hindlimbs are more developed in the jaguar than in the cougar, in which they are either absent or poorly developed. It was observed that the jaguar teeth are wide whereas the cougar ones are narrow. This study will help in the identification of skeletal remains found in archeological and paleontological contexts.