Tigon
The tigon is a hybrid offspring of a male tiger (Panthera tigris) and a lioness (Panthera leo). They exhibit visible characteristics from both parents: they can have both spots from the mother (lions carry genes for spots – lion cubs are spotted and some adults retain faint markings) and stripes from the father. Any mane that a male tigon may have will appear shorter and less noticeable than a lion's mane and is closer in type to the ruff of a male tiger.
| Tigon | |
|---|---|
| Tigon at National Zoo & Fish Aquarium in Canberra, Australia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Suborder: | Feliformia |
| Family: | Felidae |
| Subfamily: | Pantherinae |
| Genus: | Panthera |
| Species: | |
Tigons do not exceed the size of their parent species because they inherit growth-inhibitory genes from both parents, but they do not exhibit any kind of dwarfism or miniaturization; they often weigh around 180 kilograms (400 lb). It is distinct from the liger, which is a hybrid of a male lion and a female tiger, often weighing from 320 kilograms (710 lb) to 550 kilograms (1,210 lb).