BULLETIN FLORIDA MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY VOL 40(3)


flecking may be seen on pumas from any part of their range, but it is much more
prevalent in the Florida subspecies (Goldman 1946). The density of flecks on any
particular animal is correlated with age (Roelke and Wilkins, unpubl. data). They
consist of only a few isolated white hairs or small patches on very young animals,
but old animals have liberal flecking that extends along the back almost to the hip
(Fig 4a). It is generally believed that flecking is caused by ticks, and there are
seven species that comprise the ectoparasite fauna of cougars in Florida. Heavy
infestations of ticks, especially Ixodes scapularis, are associated with open wounds
and scars on both live and dead animals (Forrester et al. 1985). Of 318 museum
skins examined, only four (two from Brasil, one from Panama, one from Peru)
showed the dense flecking seen on Florida cats, although light flecking could
occasionally be seen on cougars from throughout their range. This may reflect a
sampling error, or unusually high densities of Ixodes ticks in Florida compared to
other localities. However, it is also possible that panthers in Florida may be more
sensitive to the bite of the Ixoides tick. Whatever the reason, flecking is
consistently more prevalent in the Florida population. As an environmentally
induced color change and not a genetically inherited trait, it is not considered a
true morphologic character. However, it is useful in recognizing cats from Florida.
 Whorl/crooked tail.- The whorl, or cowlick, is a structural reversal of hairs
 that occurs mid-back and/or at base of the neck. The mid-dorsal whorl can be an
 abbreviated narrow ridge of only four centimeters, but it is more often a
 pronounced oblong or tear drop shape up to 30 cm in length (Fig. 4b). The whorl
 at the base of the neck is chevron-shaped and may be up to 10 cm long (not
 shown); it is quite distinct from the usual swirl that is caused by the change in
 direction of hairs in this region. Whorls occur in both sexes and are present at
 birth, as seen in four fetuses recovered from a car-struck female. Florida animals
 frequently display the mid-dorsal whorl, sometimes the neck whorl, and in a few
 instances both appear in the same animal. The mid-dorsal whorl was not
 mentioned by early describers although it was distinctly present in many of the
 specimens they examined.
 The kinked or crooked tail is the result of a modification of the distal caudal
 vertebrae. Often the third vertebra from the end is shortened and curved, resulting
 in a 90-degree bend in the tail (Fig.4c). The last tail vertebra often is truncated
 and also sometimes curved, resulting in a double kink. The kink is palpable
 through the skin and is often visible as a curl at the tip of the tail in living animals.
 The whorl and kinked tail are considered to be genetic markers of the Florida
 subspecies (O'Brien et al. 1990). The two characters are not linked, as animals
 occasionally will exhibit one trait and not the other. Skeletons were often not
 preserved in collections, so the frequency of this trait in older museum specimens
 could not be determined. However, it is visible in two published photographs
 panthers shot in the 1940's (Hamilton and Whitaker 1979, pg. 307; Tinsley 1970,
 p. 23).