Glossary
Melanism
An inherited excess of dark pigment that turns an animal's coat black or very dark, as in black leopards, black jaguars and many house cats.
Also called: melanistic cat, black morph, black coat colour
Melanism is a heritable increase in dark pigment, called melanin, so that an animal that would normally be tawny or spotted is black or nearly black. It has been recorded in about a dozen wild cat species, including the leopard, jaguar, serval and bobcat, and it is common in domestic cats, where black is one of the basic colours.
The genetics differ between species. In jaguars, melanism is caused by a dominant allele, so a black jaguar can have spotted cubs or black ones. In leopards, it is caused by a recessive change, so a black leopard needs the change from both parents. A black leopard or jaguar still carries spots, called ghost rosettes, that can show in bright light or infrared images.
Why melanism persists is not fully settled. Researchers have proposed a camouflage advantage in dense, dark forest, with black leopards reported more often in some rainforest regions, but other explanations are also under study. Melanism is not the same as albinism, which lacks pigment, and it does not make an animal a separate species or subspecies. For the animal everyone calls a panther, see black panther.
Last reviewed November 7, 2026