A rosette is a

rose A rose is either a woody perennial plant, perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred Rose species, species and Garden roses, tens of thousands of cultivar ...

-like marking or formation found on the

fur A fur is a soft, thick growth of hair that covers the skin of almost all mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an ...

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''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the ...

. 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 in which 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 ki ...

. 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 cat species in the genus ''Panthera''. It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of with a ...

(''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 felidae, cat species and the only extant taxon, living member of the genus ''Panthera'' that is native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the biggest cat spe ...

(''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 Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...

(''Panthera leo'') cubs have rosette patterns on their legs and abdomen regions. These rosettes usually do not transfer into adulthood 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 markings act as camouflage in long grasses and bushes.

Bengal Cat

The

bengal cat The Bengal cat is a breed of hybrid cat created from crossing of an Asian leopard cat (''Prionailurus bengalensis'') with domestic cats, especially the spotted Egyptian Mau. It is then usually bred with a breed that demonstrates a friendlier ...

(''Felis catus x Prionailurus bengalensis'') is a descendent from a combination of domestic cats and

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

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

Cheetah

While individual

cheetahs The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat and the fastest land animal. It has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, with a short snout and blac ...

(''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 The ocelot (''Leopardus pardalis'') is a medium-sized spotted wild cat that reaches at the shoulders and weighs between on average. It is native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean island ...

(''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 cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large Felidae, cat and the Fastest animals, fastest land animal. It has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, wit ...

– the king cheetah variety has rosettes *

Bengal cat The Bengal cat is a breed of hybrid cat created from crossing of an Asian leopard cat (''Prionailurus bengalensis'') with domestic cats, especially the spotted Egyptian Mau. It is then usually bred with a breed that demonstrates a friendlier ...

Jaguar The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large felidae, cat species and the only extant taxon, living member of the genus ''Panthera'' that is native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the biggest cat spe ...

Leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant cat species in the genus ''Panthera''. It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of with a ...

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

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

Liger The liger is a hybrid (biology), hybrid offspring of a male lion (''Panthera leo'') and a tigress, or female tiger (''Panthera tigris''). The liger has parents in the same genus but of different species. The liger is distinct from the opposite ...

Liliger The liliger is the hybrid offspring of a male lion (''Panthera leo'') and a female liger ('' Panthera leo''♂ × '' Panthera tigris''♀). Thus, it is a second generation hybrid. In accordance with Haldane's rule, male tigons and ligers are st ...

Lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...

– cubs have rosettes, which may be retained on the legs in adults * Litigon *

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

Ocelot The ocelot (''Leopardus pardalis'') is a medium-sized spotted Felidae, wild cat that reaches at the shoulders and weighs between on average. It is native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, Central and South America, ...

* Safari cat *

Snow leopard The snow leopard (''Panthera uncia'') is a species of large cat in the genus ''Panthera'' of the family Felidae. The species is native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because ...

Tigon The tigon is a hybrid offspring of a male tiger (''Panthera tigris'') and a female lion, or lioness (''Panthera leo'').Leopard pattern *

Stripe (pattern) A stripe is a line or band that differs in color or tone from an adjacent area. Stripes are a group of such lines in a repeating pattern of similar regions. History The early history of stripes in fashion is unclear. However, in medieval Europe, ...

References

{{reflist Animal coat colors