BULLETIN FLORIDA MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY VOL 40(3)


the loss of habitat and more than 150 years of persecution. Examination of historic
specimens of the late 1800s shows that the whorl was not fixed in the population
by the late 1800s, as it was missing from four of the original six Bangs specimens,
but the frequency was nevertheless high (present in 5 of 9 specimens, or 55%,
from the late 1800s).
 The process leading to lowered levels of variability and expression of unusual
traits might have begun much earlier and be explained in part by the peninsular
nature of Florida in which genetic exchange with more northern populations was
restricted on three sides. The Florida land mass receded to an even narrower
peninsula than it is today when sea levels rose to their present level 8000 BP
(Watts and Hansen 1988). Furthermore, climatic changes accompanied by a shift
to less productive soils, and a vegetation community dominated by pine flatwoods
by 5000 BP might further limit population numbers. Together these would have
created conditions that would limit dispersal and intergradation with more
northern forms. This view gains some support in the high frequency of the whorl
in cats from Chile and Argentina (27% overall, but higher within individual
populations) and the peninsular nature of those two countries (Eisenberg and
Redford 1982).
 The Florida panther exhibits a combination of unique and shared characters
that are measurable and quantifiable. Further, the morphotype remains relatively
unchanged from the early historic specimens of the late 1800s in spite of a possible
introgression with another form. This does not suggest, however, that managed
outbreeding is undesirable. The loss of genetic variability and associated problems
of lowered reproductive potential and immunological deficiency (Roelke et al.
1993) that threaten this population, in addition to loss of habitat, requires
immediate implementation of management decisions, and habitat preservation.


 LITERATURE CITED

Abercrombie, A. 1984. Subspecific identity of Felis concolor UF 19077 by discriminant analysis. Report
 to Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission.
Anderson, A. E. 1983. A critical review of literature on puma (Fells concolor). Colorado Div. Wildl.,
 Spec. Rept. 54:1-91
Bangs, 0. 1898. The land mammals of peninsular Florida and the coast region of Georgia. Proc. Boston
 Soc. Nat. Hist., 28(7):157-235.
 1899. The Florida puma. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., 13:15-17.
Bass, O. L, Jr. 1997. Ecology and population dynamics of the Florida Panther in Everglades National
 Park. Pp. 82-97 in D. B. Jordan, ed. Proceedings of the Florida Panther Conference, 1-3 November
 1994, Ft Myers, Florida.
, and D. S. Maehr. 1991. Do recent panther deaths in Everglades National Park suggest an ephemeral
 population? Res. Explor. 7(4):427.
Belden, R. C. 1986a. Florida panther recovery plan implementation-a 1983 progress report. Pages 159-
 172 in S. D. Miller and D. D. Everett, eds. Cats of the world: biology, conservation and
 management. Proc. 2nd international cat symposium, Caesar Kleberg Wildl. Res. Inst.,
 Kingsville,TX, and the Natl. Wildl. Fed., Washington, D.C. 501 pp.
 1986b. "Florida panther characteristics", Recovery plan implementation, annual performance
 report. Study No. E-1-10 I-E-5a, Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Comm. 13 pp.