The hyoid apparatus and the ability to roar in big cats

Why can lions and tigers roar while domestic cats and cheetahs cannot? This comparative anatomical study examined the hyoid apparatus, the chain of bones supporting the larynx and tongue, across felid species. Roaring big cats of the genus Panthera possess an incompletely ossified, more flexible hyoid and an elongated, elastic vocal apparatus that supports the production of loud, low-frequency roars, whereas purring cats have a fully ossified hyoid. The findings linked a specific anatomical specialisation to the roar-versus-purr divide in the cat family, providing the morphological basis for understanding long-distance vocal signalling in the largest felids.