Q 01/05

What is the cougar's scientific name?

A) Panthera concolor

B) Puma concolor

C) Felis catamount

D) Lynx rufus

Answer · why

B) Puma concolor

Linnaeus first called it Felis concolor in 1771; William Jardine moved it to the genus Puma in 1834.

Q 02/05

The cougar holds a Guinness record for having more of what than any other animal?

A) Teeth

B) Names

C) Subspecies

D) Chromosomes

Answer · why

B) Names

It has over 40 names in English alone, including puma, mountain lion, catamount, panther and painter.

Q 03/05

The word 'cougar' ultimately comes from which language?

A) Quechua

B) Nahuatl

C) Tupi

D) Cherokee

Answer · why

C) Tupi

It reached English via Portuguese 'çuçuarana' and French; Buffon shortened it to 'cuguar' in 1774.

Q 04/05

The name 'puma' entered English in 1777 via Spanish from which language?

A) Quechua

B) Tupi

C) Guaraní

D) Aymara

Answer · why

A) Quechua

Puma is the name used in most of Latin America and Europe and in the scientific literature.

Q 05/05

Which name for the cougar is most commonly used in the United States?

A) Puma or panther

B) Cougar or painter

C) Catamount

D) Mountain lion

Answer · why

D) Mountain lion

Canadians say cougar; 'mountain lion' first appeared in print in 1858.