"However, officials say it will be a while before they determine exactly what type of cat it is."
Mountain lions have characteristics prints. If it is one, they know it already and trying to figure out a way to keeo the public from "panicking".
Also, there are some very dark colored Mountain Lions, but I don't believe a solid black one has ever been authenticated/
On the other hand, a large dark lion in the dark would appear black.
Yup. I've come across thousands of tracks in the wild and I tell at a glance whether they are mountain lion prints or not.