Felidae Gallery

Cat tongue surface, SEM

Cat's tongue. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the surface of a cat's (family Felidae) tongue. The tongue is covered in many backward facing papillae (projections). These tough structures are used to clean the cat's fur and to rasp meat from its prey. Magnification: x15 when printed at 10 centimetres wide

© STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Leopard (Panthera pardus) female fighting off male after he tries to mate with her

Leopard (Panthera pardus) female fighting off male after he tries to mate with her. Londolozi Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa

© www.naturepl.com

Africa, Aggression, Animal, Animal Behaviour, Animalia, Behaviour, Behavioural, Big Cat, Carnivora, Carnivore, Cat, Conflict, Felidae, Fighting, High16, Leopard, Leopards, Male Female Pair, Mammal, Mammalia, Panthera, Panthera Pardus, Protected Area, Reserve, Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa, South African, Southern Africa, Two, Vertebrate, Wildlife

King cheetah coat

King cheetah coat. The king cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) has a different coat pattern to most other cheetahs, despite being of the same species. The blotched and stripy pattern is thought to be the result of a recessive mutation. When two cheetahs carrying the recessive allele mate, the king cheetah coat pattern may result. They have only been seen in the wild in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. The cheetah is the fastest land mammal, reaching speeds of over 110 kilometres per hour when hunting prey

© TONY CAMACHO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY