A rosette is a

rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...

-like marking or formation found on the fur and

skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...

of some animals, particularly

cats The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members o ...

. Rosettes are used to

camouflage Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the b ...

the animal, either as a defense mechanism or as a stalking tool. Predators use their rosettes to simulate the different shifting of shadows and shade, helping the animals to remain hidden from their

prey Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill ...

. Rosettes can be grouped in clusters around other spots, or may appear as blotches on the fur.

Leopard

The

leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant species in the genus '' Panthera'', a member of the cat family, Felidae. It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in some parts of Western and Central Asia, Southern Russia, ...

(''Panthera pardus'') has a wide variety of coat coloration. On each color variation, the leopard has rosette patterns on their backs, flanks, and limbs. They also have patterns that are considered to be spots and not rosettes on their heads, stomach, and limbs.

Jaguar

Like the leopard, the

jaguar The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...

(''Panthera onca'') has a wide variety of coat coloration. The jaguar can have a coat in colors ranging from white to black with the most common residing in brownish yellow area. These big cats have rosettes on their bodies in random combination and pattern.

Lion (cub)

Young

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus '' Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adu ...

(''Panthera leo'') cubs have rosette patterns on their legs and abdomen regions. These rosettes usually do not transfer into adult hood and fade as the cub ages. However, some mature lions may keep traces of their rosette patterns throughout life. For the lion cub, the rosette Lion_cub,_South_Luangwa_National_Park_(51870456517)

Lion_cub,_South_Luangwa_National_Park_(51870456517)

marking act as camouflage in long grasses and bushes.

Bengal Cat

The bengal cat (''Felis catus x Prionailurus bengalensis'') is a descendent from a combination of

domestic cats The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...

and Asian leopard lineage. This domesticated cat has a distinct coat pattern with a combination of rosettes, spots, and stripes.

Cheetah

While individual cheetahs (''Acinonyx jubatus'') do have distinct and identifiable coat patterns like leopards or jaguars, the cheetah’s patterns are considered to be spots, not rosettes.

Ocelot

Ocelots (''leopardus pardalis'') have a coat pattern that may look like rosettes, however is considered to be a combination of spots and stripes.

List of felids with rosettes

* Cheetah – the king cheetah variety has rosettes *

Jaguar The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...

Leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant species in the genus '' Panthera'', a member of the cat family, Felidae. It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in some parts of Western and Central Asia, Southern Russia, ...

– smaller, denser rosettes than the jaguar, lacking central spotsSearle, A. G. (1968). ''Comparative Genetics of Coat Colour in Mammals''. Logos Press, London. * Snow leopard *

Ocelot The ocelot (''Leopardus pardalis'') is a medium-sized spotted wild cat that reaches at the shoulders and weighs between on average. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Two subspecies are recognized. It is native to the southwe ...

Margay The margay (''Leopardus wiedii'') is a small wild cat native to Central and South America. A solitary and nocturnal cat, it lives mainly in primary evergreen and deciduous forest. Until the 1990s, margays were hunted illegally for the wild ...

Lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus '' Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adu ...

– cubs have rosettes, which may be retained on the legs in adults * Liger * Liliger * Tigon * Bengal cat *

Leopard cat The leopard cat (''Prionailurus bengalensis'') is a small wild cat native to continental South, Southeast, and East Asia. Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List as it is widely distributed although threatened by hab ...

References

{{reflist Animal coat colors