The Cave Lion (Panthera spelaea and Panthera fossilis)

[Wolverine]

(11-19-2017, 12:46 AM)Polar Wrote:

(11-16-2017, 09:44 AM)Wolverine Wrote:

(11-15-2017, 09:33 PM)tigerluver Wrote: largest skulls of P. atrox most are aware of (458 mm) and a bit smaller than the giant Mokhnevskaya P. fossilis skull (475 mm) and University of California giant P. atrox skull (467.5 mm).

Is this skull of P.fossilis from Mokhnevskaya the largest ever discovered skull of cat from genus Panthera? Could be assumed that this specimen from Mokhnevskaya is the largest Pantherinae known to the science till this moment?

According to Bergmann's rule within a broadly distributed taxonomic clade, populations and species of larger size are found in colder and northern environments, and species of smaller size are found in warmer and southern regions. From all ancient representatives of genus Panthera representatives of P.fossilis inhabited most northern latitudes of the Earth - Siberia and Alaska, hence P. fossilis logically should be larger than P.atrox, P.tigris soloensis and P. tigris acutidiens.

The American Lion grew up to be 650-pounds on average, the Ngandong Tiger 650 to 700-pounds on average, and Panthera Fossilis maybe in between, on average. 
I think tigers (and I am saying this with no absolute proof) have the potential to be a much larger size than lions on both average and maximum due to their in-built genetics.

From what source did you get 650 lbs average for P. atrox? I know that Wikipedia is not the most reliable source, but there is written that the average weight of P.atrox was 564 lbs (256 kg) and that he is was 25% larger than modern African lion (180-190 kg). What are the measurments of the largest skull of American lion? I have an impression that National Geographic and other channels exaggerate a bit the size and ferocity of American lion.....
P. tigris soloensis was as long as I know more gracial than cave lions with more thin bones.

Maybe modern tigers are larger than modern lions because there are no more NORTHERN lions. Yes I agree that Bergman's rule  is not the only factor, the abundance of food is even more important, but nevertheless this rule is a scientific law. Reply