Editing Panthera (section)

==Characteristics==
In ''Panthera'' species, the dorsal profile of the [[skull]] is flattish or evenly convex. The frontal inter[[Orbit (anatomy)|orbit]]al area is not noticeably elevated, and the area behind the elevation is less steeply sloped. The basic [[Cranial cavity|cranial]] axis is nearly horizontal. The inner chamber of the [[Auditory bulla|bullae]] is large, the outer small. The partition between them is close to the [[external auditory meatus]]. The convexly rounded chin is sloping.<ref name=Pocock1939>{{cite book |author=Pocock, R. I. |year=1939 |chapter=''Panthera'' |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/PocockMammalia1/pocock1#page/n243/mode/2up |title=The fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Mammalia. – Volume 1 |publisher=Taylor and Francis |location=London |pages=196–239}}</ref>
All ''Panthera'' species have an incompletely ossified [[hyoid bone]] and a specially adapted [[larynx]] with large [[vocal folds]] covered in a fibro-elastic pad; these characteristics enable them to [[roar]]. Only the snow leopard cannot roar, as it has shorter vocal folds of {{cvt|9|mm}} that provide a lower resistance to airflow; it was therefore proposed to be retained in the genus ''Uncia''.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=The larynx of roaring and non-roaring cats |journal=Journal of Anatomy |date=1989 |pmc=1256521 |pmid=2606766 |pages=117–121 |volume=163 |first=M. H.|last=Hast}}</ref>
''Panthera'' species can [[prusten]], which is a short, soft, snorting sound; it is used during contact between friendly individuals. The roar is an especially loud call with a distinctive pattern that depends on the species.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Weissengruber |first1=G. E. |last2=Forstenpointner, G. |last3=Peters, G. |last4= Kübber-Heiss, A. |last5=Fitch, W. T. |title=Hyoid apparatus and pharynx in the lion (''Panthera leo''), jaguar (''Panthera onca''), tiger (''Panthera tigris''), cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') and the domestic cat (''Felis silvestris f. catus'') |journal=Journal of Anatomy |pages=195–209 | volume=201|issue=3 |year=2002 |doi=10.1046/j.1469-7580.2002.00088.x |pmc=1570911 |pmid=12363272}}</ref>