Research overview: melanism and the recurrence of black coats across wild cats

Black, or melanistic, coats appear repeatedly in wild cats, and this overview reviews this phenomenon and its causes. Melanism, seen famously in black leopards and jaguars, results from genetic variants increasing dark pigment, and it has arisen independently in multiple cat species, sometimes associated with particular habitats such as dense forest where dark coats may aid concealment. Researchers study melanism through genetics and ecological correlation. Why it matters: the recurrence of melanism is a natural experiment in adaptation and genetics, raising questions about why dark coats persist and whether they confer advantages in certain environments or resistance to disease. It connects coat colour genetics to evolution and ecology, and it explains the existence of the so-called black panthers that are simply melanistic individuals of spotted species.