Ailurus

/aɪˈlurəs/ noun

Definition

The scientific genus name for the red panda, literally meaning 'cat' in Greek.

Etymology

From Greek 'ailuros' meaning 'cat.' Named by French naturalist Frédéric Cuvier in 1825, who called it a 'cat-like' animal because of its slender build and feline facial features, though it's actually a member of the Ailuridae family, not true cats.

Kelly Says

Red pandas were called 'firefox' first—the actual Firefox web browser logo was named after them! They're often confused with giant pandas, but they're actually more closely related to skunks and weasels than to bears.

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