P.K. Kennedy M.A. Bogan J.L. Waits M.L. Kennedy 2002 <p>The subspecific status of the Louisiana black bear (<i>Ursus americanus luteolus</i>) and Florida black bear (<i>U. a. floridanus</i>) were assessed using morphologic features to determine their distinctness in relation to one another and to the black bear (<i>U. a. americanus</i>). Forty-four dimensions were recorded from skulls of 125 male and 127 female adult (4.5 years or older) bears. Results showed skulls of <i>U. a. luteolus, U. a. floridanus</i>, and <i>U. a. americanus</i> to be similar in morphology. However, features of <i>U. a. luteolus</i>, and <i>U. a. floridanus</i> tended, in general, to be larger and shaped differently than those of <i>U. a. americanus</i>. Differences between measurements of <i>U. a. luteolus</i> and <i>U. a. floridanus</i> were less apparent than those between either of these taxa and <i>U. a. americanus</i>. For <i>U. a. luteolus</i> and<i> U. a. floridanus</i>, means of most characters differed only slightly, and ranges of all measurements overlapped to some degree. Yet, small numbers of characters that reflected molar tooth measurements or features relating to dentition, height of frontal region, and skull length and width appeared to correctly classify these taxa in most cases. Results were interpreted to support the subspecific recognition of <i>U. a. luteolus, U. a. floridanus</i>, and <i>U. a. americanus</i>.<br></p> application/pdf 10.2307/3672491 en Southwestern Association of Naturalists Taxonomic assessment of the black bear (Ursus americanus) in the eastern United States article