Two main studies will be used for the sake of this comparison :
Second study :
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jmor.20382
Without further ado, let's get into it!
-Thoracic height/centrum length (first study):
Edge : Puma
-Thoracic height/thoracic region length (second study):
Edge: Draw (0.050 VS 0.049)
-Thoracic height/body mass (second study):
Edge: Leopard (0.2905 VS 0.2630)
-Thoracic spine length/centrum length (first study):
Edge : Draw
-Thoracic Width/centrum length (first study):
Edge : Leopard
-Thoracic width/thoracic region length (second study):
Edge: Leopard (0.0571 VS 0.05161)
-Thoracic width/body mass (second study):
Edge: Leopard (0.3373 VS 0.2710)
-Thoracic area/thoracic region length (second study):
Edge: Draw (0.675 VS 0.6746)
-Thoracic area/body mass (second study):
Edge: Leopard (3.98 VS 3.54)
-Thoracic region length/thoracolumar length (first+second study) :
Edge : Leopard (54.24% VS 53.84%)
Overall Edge in Thoracic Robusticity : Leopard
-Lumbar height/centrum length (first study):
Edge : Draw
-Lumbar height/Lumbar region length (second study):
Edge: Draw (0.0686 VS 0.0675)
-Lumbar height/body mass (second study):
Edge: Leopard (0.345 VS 0.304)
-Lumbar spine length/centrum length (first study):
Edge : Draw
-lumbar width/lumbar region length (second study):
Edge: Leopard (0.1078 VS 0.1019)
-lumbar width/body mass (second study):
Edge: Leopard (0.5420 VS 0.4596)
-lumbar area/lumbar region length (second study):
Edge: Draw (1.6075 VS 1.58)
-lumbar area/body mass (second study):
Edge: Leopard (7.93 VS 7.24)
-Lumbar region length/thoracolumar length (first+second study) :
Edge : Leopard (44.45% VS 46.1%) because lower score is better in this case.
NOTE:
A third study also mentions that Leopards have proportionally wider, more ventro-cranially due to having more negative PC1 scores. These features would play a role in strengthening the Leopard's back. The Puma's positive PC1 scores would grant it more cranially oriented processes :
https://academic.oup.com/biolinnean/article/116/3/721/2440504
Overall Edge in Lumbar Robusticity : Leopard