Lion

Panthera leo

A large cat of the genus Panthera native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult male lions are larger than females and have a prominent mane. It is a social species, forming groups called prides. A lion's pride consists of a few adult males, related females, and cubs. Groups of female lions usually hunt together, preying mostly on large ungulates. The lion is an apex and keystone predator; although some lions scavenge when opportunities occur and have been known to hunt humans, lions typically do not actively seek out and prey on humans.

Classification

  • Class

    Mammalia

  • Domain

    Eukaryota

  • Family

    Felidae

  • Genus

    Panthera

  • Kingdom

    Animalia

  • Order

    Carnivora

  • Phylum

    Chordata

  • Species

    P. leo

  • Subfamily

    Pantherinae

  • Suborder

    Feliformia

Vernacular Name

Lion

Binomial Name

Panthera leo

References