BULLETIN FLORIDA MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY VOL 40(3)


PRESENCE OF WHORLS IN FLORIDA AND
 OTHER POPULATIONS OF COUGARS


' Loclities vgue subspecies nne
Figure 5. Darkened areas represent geographical populations of cougars (subspecies). Numbers represent
number of skins examined. Number of specimens displaying mid-dorsal whorl and frequency (%) shown
adjacent to population.


 The frequency of the whorl in Puma concolor was determined by examining
648 skins in museum collections, representing 15 North American and 14 South
American subspecies, including the panthers from Florida (n=49). Sample sizes
for each population varied. In addition to museum skins, live animals (23 Florida,
23 Texas, 50 Colorado) were examined for whorls and kinked tails. At the time
the museum skins were examined, the neck whorl had not been discovered, so no
quantitative data are available for any population outside of Florida.