Puma is a genus in the family Felidae whose only extant species is the cougar (also known as the puma, mountain lion, and panther, among other names), and may also include several poorly known Old World fossil representatives (for example, Puma pardoides, or Owen's panther, a large, cougar-like cat of Eurasia's Pliocene). In addition to these potential Old World fossils, a few New World fossil representatives are possible, such as Puma pumoides and the two species of the so-called 'American cheetah', currently classified under the genus Miracinonyx. Pumas are large, secretive cats. They are also commonly known as cougars and mountain lions, and are able to reach larger sizes than some other 'big' cat individuals. Despite their large size, they are more closely related to smaller feline species than to lions or leopards. The seven subspecies of pumas all have similar characteristics but tend to vary in color and size. Pumas are the most adaptable felines in the Americas and are found in a variety of different habitats, unlike other cat species. (Source: Wikipedia.org, CC BY-SA)