The Cave Lion (Panthera spelaea and Panthera fossilis)

[GrizzlyClaws]

But from what I read before, the Cave lion group was supposed to evolve from the Panthera shawi-like group in East Africa around 3 million years ago.

Since all Panthera shawi population in Africa remained some sort of genetic exchange, it did prevent them to diverge into different species.

Let's say all Panthera shawi population from South Africa to East Africa remained subspecific for one million since 3 mya, but in 2 mya, the East African population suddenly migrated to Eurasia, and in just a brief period, the migrating population had diverged into a different species due the genetic isolation. And the South African population remained in Africa and dispersed to the rest of Africa, and finally evolved into the modern lions that we known today. Reply