What is a leopard’s scientific name? The leopard scientific name is Panthera pardus.
Wildlife lovers, researchers, and photographers have always been captivated by the African Leopard, one of the most iconic and strong big cats in the world. Noted for its spotted coat, stealthy movement, and adaptability, this article covers everything from leopards’ scientific names to snow leopards and their pronunciation, meaning, classification, types, diet, habitat, and everything else.
What Is the Scientific Name of a Leopard?
Specific scientific names for leopards?
- Common name: Leopard
- Scientific name: Panthera pardus
- Pronunciation: /ˈpan-thə-rə ˈpär-dəs/.
The Meaning of Panthera Pardus
- Panthera is a Latin-Greek term for the genus that includes lions, tigers, jaguars, and leopards, with a meaning in either language of “predator” or “hunter.”
- Pardus in Greek refers to “the spotted one or the Leopard.”
In other words, the scientific name of a leopard means spotted and a strong hunter of the roaring cat family.
Snow Leopard Scientific Name and Meaning
Snow Leopard Scientific Name
- Common Name: Snow Leopard
- Scientific Name: Panthera uncia
- Pronuciation: /ˈpan-thə-rə ˈuhn-see-uh/
Meaning of Panthera uncia
- This refers to Uncia, a Latin root meaning ‘inch’ or ‘little one’, which is in comparison to the larger felids, such as tigers and lions, and is thus smaller than them, making it valuable in terms of its scientific name.
- At one time, snow leopards were called “ounces.”
Even if the name suggests a close genetic relationship to the leopard, in reality, there is no real resemblance. Snow leopards have evolved into fully adapted mountain cats.
Classification of leopards
The complete taxonomy of leopard biological nomenclature looks like this:
