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Sri-Lanka(n)/Ceylon Lion, Ceylon (Bengal) Tiger & Ceylon (Asiatic) Cheetah
Sri-Lanka(n)/Ceylon Lion, Ceylon (Bengal) Tiger & Ceylon (Asiatic) Cheetah
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Sri-Lanka(n)/Ceylon Lion, Ceylon (Bengal) Tiger & Ceylon (Asiatic) Cheetah
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Sri Lanka’s Extinct Big Cats:
Although relatively unknown, there is a very great possibility that our land was once home to big cats aside from the present day leopards – specifically, lions and tigers, and not just the ones depicted in ancient art and architecture. Archaeologists in Sri Lanka have dug up a number of interesting finds over the decades, one of the most popular being the skeletal fragments and cultural remains of the cannibalistic Balangoda Man. Apart from this, among the most interesting discoveries are perhaps the fossils of prehistoric mammals, including big cats. According to Kelum Manamendra-Arachchi, one of the country’s leading experts in zooarchaeology and palaeontology, many of the mammal fossils were found in the Ratnapura district, and these findings, specially named ‘Ratnapura fauna’, refer to fossils mostly found embedded in gem gravels, locally known as ‘illama’. These fossils can be found anywhere between 4 metres to 12 metres below ground, or sometimes even as deep as 35 metres under. Quote:The Quaternary includes two geologic epochs: the Pleistocene and the Holocene. Both epochs divided to faunal stages and human cultural phases based on climate and sea level cycles for the past three million years. Quaternary ice age begins roughly 2.58 Ma with both "cool and dry climate" conditions. Australopithecines and many of the extinct genera of mammalian mega fauna appeared in this time.Thus, the Quaternary period show the "extinctions of numerous predominantly larger, especially mammalian mega faunal species", many of them lived during the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene epoch. *This image is copyright of its original author The debate on the demise of the mammalian megafauna is often characterized by two highly polarized points of view: (1) climate-induced extinction; and (2) human-induced extinction. In Pleistocene period, most parts of the Northern Hemisphere were covered with glaciers creating a cold climate. Due to this glacial formation the main sea level was much lower than today. The low sea level facilitated the connection of Sri Lanka with the Indian mainland with a land bridge. Therefore a number of "mega and micro fauna" was able to cross to Sri Lanka from India. In Pleistocene era Sri Lanka experienced "heavy rainfall and covered with rain forest". These heavy showers in the Sabaragamu basin provide habitats for a number of Marsh loving mammals and other animals. However at the end of Pleistocene the climate changes resulted in the extinction of number of a animals. Pleistocene fauna in Sri Lanka is known as "Rathnapura Fauna". These fossils were found in alluvial deposits of Sabaragamu basins. The Pleistocene is generally recognized as a time of gigantism in terrestrial mammals. The causes for such gigantism are not completely understood, but they most likely "include a response to colder conditions and an improved ability to resist predators and reach food higher on shrubs or buried beneath snow" (Britanica.com 2014). Ninety percent of the animals represented by Quaternary fossils were recognized by Charles Lyell (1820) as being similar to modern forms including many genera and even species of shellfish, insects, marine microfossils, and terrestrial mammalian mega fauna living today are similar or identical to their Pleistocene ancestors (Britania.com 2014). Many Pleistocene fossils demonstrate spectacular differences from of 1833 to up to date by palaenotologists, geologist, sedimentologists, the International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA), International Geological Correlation Programmes (IGCPs), International Union for Geological Sciences (IUGS) and individuals from different disciplines and geographical locations have been discussed Chalrs Lyells findings (1830), and found extinct and new marine and terrestrial fauna emphasizing the Quaternary period. Such studies are very useful for further investigation of extinction of the mammalian megafauna from different regions of the world. The Indian subcontinent represents a rich source of diverse paleoanthropological data in the form of pollen assemblages, various isotopic records, vertebrate and invertebrate fossil assemblages, and prehistoric stone tools in a range of palaeoecological contexts (Metzke et al 2010). Most of the Quaternary fossil evidence, including hominin specimens comes from the fluvial sediments of the Narmada and other similar rivers (Chauhan, 2008). During the Quaternary climate and sea level changes, which were followed the glacial and interglacial stages, allowed to fauna migrating or lodging in continents as well as nearing islands (Katupotha, 2013). "Therefore a number of mega and micro fauna was able to cross to Sri Lanka from India". The last land bridge was emerged around 7500 yr BP (Katupotha 1995). The diverse paleoanthropological records, vertebrate and invertebrate fossil assemblages, and prehistoric stone tools in a range of palaeoecological contexts found in Sri Lanka from "Gem pits/gravels and coastal deposits proved such" (Deranigala 1958; S.U. Deraniyaga 1992). Fossil identification was carried out according to the "special characters that found in those fossils and anatomical comparisons also were done" (EASL research center, Kuruwita 2015). Relative Dating was used to place those fossils in correct positions of the geological time scale (i.e., the age of an object in comparison to another). Biostratigraphy was used to place them in a correct order but we do not yield any numerical estimates, which related to C datingor thermo luminescence (TL). As primary sources early research and publications were studied. For fossil characterization and studying of special features digital vernier caliper (150mm: 6”), and Scale bars were used. For locating those fossil bearing places Garmin 30 GPS with Base Camp GIS was also used. Pleistocene fossils from Sabaragamu Basin (Fig. 1) in Ratnapura district of Sri Lanka discovered in association with “Ratnapura (alluvial deposits) gem pits”. Fossils were described as the “Ratnapura Fauna” by Deraniyagala (1958), and were "trying to identification, classification, taxonomy and describe their palaeoecology, palaeoclimatology and palaeoenvironment". 1. Sri-Lanka Lion/Ceylon lion (Panthera leo sinhaleyus): Panthera leo (the lion) fossilis laid upon the gem field at a depth of 6.5m below the surface from a gem pit about four miles away at "Pahala Vela, Galadande Mandiya, Gonapitiiya, Kuruwita near the Kuru Ganga". The holotype is a third lower left carnassial in the Deraniyagala collection at the British Museum (Deraniyagala, 1958). This race is restricted to Sri Lanka; originally the lion appears to have inhabited Sri Lanka and India and was possibly replaced by the so called Bengal tiger and the forest habitats that invaded India arid ecosystems from the Northeast. The similarity between the African name is “Simba” = Lion, and the Indian equivalent Simha suggests that one is derived from the other. *This image is copyright of its original author The lack of lion fossils in Africa "suggests that the African is derived from the Indian Panthera leo sinhaleyus" also known as the Sri Lanka(n) Lion, was a prehistoric subspecies of lion, endemic to Sri Lanka. It appears to have become extinct prior to the arrival of culturally modern humans, c.39,000-37,000 years ago. This lion is only known from "two teeth", found in alluvial deposits at Kuruwita. Deraniyagala cited fossils of three lion teeth found in the island; one in 1936, another in 1947 and the third in 1961. Manamendra-Arachchi et al (2005) describe that Deraniyagala did not explain explicitly how he diagnosed the holotype of this subspecies as belonging to a lion, though he justified its allocation to a distinct subspecies of lion by its being "narrower and more elongate" than those of recent lions (Asiatic) in the British Natural History Museum collection. It appears that he based his species-identification essentially on Brongersma (1935), confirming this through the examination also of two recent tiger carnassials in the BMNH collection. His conclusion that the BMNH M 51883 M1 belongs to a lion and not a tiger was supported by Hemmer (1966b) and also by our own examination. *This image is copyright of its original author ^Left molar M1: A, lingual aspect, Panthera leo sinhaleyus, holotype, BMNH Pal. Dept. M 51883; B, buccal aspect, P. l. sinhaleyus, holotype, BMNH Pal. Dept. M 51883 This might be the first Lion wave of Expansion in which Lion populated the African Continent, Europe through the Iberian Peninsula (which has been split by the Suez Canal at the Isthmus of Suez) and Asia narrow land bridge through turkey and Arabian peninsula. The Primitive Panthera leo gone to Europe became cave lion and populated Eurasia, North and South (northern part) Americas and the lion gone to Asia populated upto western china and India including Sri Lanka in which one of the subspecies of this ancient leo species is the Sri Lankan Lion. The climate and environment favoured for Lion with savanna grasslands-scrub arid lands with sympatric predators- Spotted Hyena, Cheetah, Leopard, Homo erectus and after Homo sapiens. After that Forests ecosystem from south east Asia diversified and spread with climate change into west and south Asia from east Asia, the Primitive lion extinct, the second wave lion expansion happened in late Pleistocene or Holocene about 25-10 thousand years ago and it is Asiatic Lion. Cheetah and leopard survived till then as climate experienced frequent changes of dry and cold climates. Spotted Hyena occurred in northwestern and central Asia came through Iberian peninsula was extinct and living in Africa presently. The modern tigris-Indochinese (Wanhesian Tiger gave rise to South China->rest of all modern subspecies) from Panthera aff tigris which inturn evolved from Panthera cf tigris arrived India between before 20000 years ago as forest ecosystems expanded from the east to India gave rise to Bengal Tiger including Sri Lanka. There might have coexistence between Early leo also and then with asiatic Lion not only in India but also in the island which is unclear for now. *This image is copyright of its original author Other Tigers originated from aff tigris which are Pleistocene or prehistoric tigers are: The Trinil tiger (Panthera tigris trinilensis), The Bornean tiger, Wanhsien tiger (Panthera tigris acutidens), The Ngandong tiger (Panthera tigris soloensis), Panthera tigris oxygnatha, Japanese Tiger and where as Panthera tigris sudanensis by Derinayagala is a nothing but a tiger specimen (skin) exported to Africa/Sudan which was killed. Quote:The lion has been one of the most widespread mammals, having enjoyed a Pleistocene range that included Africa, Eurasia, North America and tropical South America, while the fossil record confirms that the species range in the Indian subcontinent did extend south to the 21st parallel and east to 87º E (Pilgrim 1931; Dutta 1976), approximately a line joining Gujarat to Bengal.But, there is no evidence of the existence of the lion in Asia, furthur east of Bengal or anywhere in peninsular India and Sri Lanka, except for P. leo sinhaleyus in south and Panthera leo fossilis in parts of europe, also known as the Early Middle Pleistocene European cave lion, is an extinct feline of the Pleistocene epoch. *This image is copyright of its original author ^D, buccal aspect, P. l. persica, female, BHNH 31.4.13.2, Gir Forest, India Paulus Edward Pieris Deraniyagala is a Sri Lankan Paleontologist, Zoologist and Artist discovered this Ceylon Lion subspecies. Modern true lion (Panthera leo) evolved nearly 0.124mya. The First Lion of Same species (Panthera leo) evolved before that about 1,95,000 - 2,05,000 years ago in early East African Lion in late Pleistocene of East Africa came from Panthera shawi. It is thought that the lion lived alongside the humans living there at the time in a peaceful manner. Based on teeth, P. Deraniyagala proposed this subspecies in 1939. Fossils of Lions also discovered in West Bengal dating back thousands of years ago. The existence of lions in Sri Lanka in prehistoric times was regarded a possibility when, in the 1930s, two fossils were unearthed that appeared to support this idea. Unfortunately, this is the only existing record of a Pleistocene lion. In 1936, two teeth were discovered in Kuruwita in the Ratnapura district, and later recorded by renowned archaeologist at the time, P.E.P. Deraniyagala, as belonging to a lion subspecies endemic to Sri Lanka. *This image is copyright of its original author ^Panthera leo sinhaleyus. Canine tooth in right lower mandible. Location- Galukagama MahaEla, Puwakattaovita, Kuruwita 2008 : by Kamal & Aravinda According to an academic paper co-authored by Manamendra-Arachchi, the fossils were identified as a left lower molar, and a right lower canine. It was the 'former' that helped identify and establish the distinct subspecies, Panthera leo sinhaleyus, since the latter specimen was considered to be “in too poor condition to facilitate diagnosis”. Quote:Experts assume that the fossils may be up to 100,000 years old, and that Panthera leo sinhaleyus appears to have gone extinct “prior to the arrival of culturally modern humans”. *This image is copyright of its original author *This image is copyright of its original author The Notodomeri Lion of East Africa has only ruff like primitive mane and primitive tail tuft as all the cats including primitive leo, cave lions, tigers, leopards, snow leopards etc.., have nothing to ruff like manes but no true mane like the modern lion's most subspecies which have mane which is peculiar and unique in Felidae. Notodomeri Lion is the Ancestral Lion subspecies of all modern true lions and prehistoric Lions of Pleistocene and Holocene like first cave lion-Panthera fossilis [(Mosbach lion/upper or Early Middle Pleistocene European cave lion evolved above 0.7 mya is the ancestor of the middle Pleistocene or cromerian lion) spread to Europe from Iberian land bridge region nearly 0.8 mya], Its descendant cave lion-Panthera spelaea [(European cave lion/ Eurasian Cave lion/Cromerian lion/Cave lion/Pleistocene lion/middle Pleistocene lion) evolved below 6,00,000 years ago.], its descendant of Beringia-Panthera vereshchagini [(4,00,000-12,000 years ago from cromerian lion) [also known as the East Siberian and Beringian cave lion.]], its likely descendent but not confirmed cave lion or lion-Panthera youngi [is known from fossil remains from Zhoukoudian in China, Middle Pleistocene of Asia (Choukoutien, northeastern China and Japan) and lived about 350,000 years ago. It is believed to be related to modern lions(cave lion) but is often treated as a separate species, and its relation is mostly unknown.] and at last the descendant of vereschagini or Beringian Cave Lion- famous Panthera atrox [(American lion or American cave lion) evolved from Beringian cave lion in late Pleistocene of North America (3,40,000 – 10,000 years ago) also known as the North American lion or American cave lion — is an extinct feline of the family Felidae, endemic to North America during the Pleistocene epoch.], Panthera shawi- (extinct prehistoric cat, believed to be a primitive spotted lion ancestral to the later varieties. The first fossil was found at the Laetoli site in Tanzania and is thought to be approximately 3.5 million years old, is believed to be the oldest known species of the lion). The Lion related to leopards (evolved between 2.73-1 mya and 800,000 years ago in Africa and spread over or radiated to the Holarctic region along with the dark continent. but, this lineage started from 3.5 mya since Panthera shawi closely related to leopards appeared) had at least 7–8 known or more species with their number of sub-species (despite the controversies about they are all of same leo group species and lies in sub-species rank or other classification disputes). Expansion may have been favored by the start of a warmer and less arid period in Africa 130,000–70,000 years ago. This “out-of-Africa event” would have occurred much later than the initial lion expansion through Eurasia based on fossils (∼500,000 years ago). It is likely that multiple lion expansions occurred in the Pleistocene, as occurred with humans. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2572142/ The first lion-like cat appeared in East Africa 10.8 mya it is the common ancestor for the modern leopard who is the cousin of the lion and ancestral species of Pantherinae. Feliformia - New World Encyclopedia Extinct Animals Images - Prehistoric Fauna Reconstructions Felidae Evolution *This image is copyright of its original author *This image is copyright of its original author https://www.researchgate.net/publication..._Sri_Lanka http://www.geosocindia.org/index.php/jgs...view/63924 http://www.academia.edu/1261927/Large_ma..._Sri_Lanka https://www.archaeology.lk/5907 http://www.aelsindia.com/dec_2016/4.pdf https://www.nature.com/articles/srep3080..._evolution https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2572142/ http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/c...f-ref-27-1 https://web.archive.org/web/201305021011..._Lions.pdf http://www.communityresearch.org.nz/wp-c...a-docx.pdf https://roar.media/english/life/environm...-big-cats/ 2. Sri Lanka(n) (Bengal) Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris): "THE SECOND EXTINCT BIG CAT FROM THE LATE QUATERNARY OF SRI LANKA" Quote:"A second extinct big cat, tentatively considered to be a tiger (Panthera tigris), is recorded from Sri Lanka for the first time from a fossil left lower carnassial found in alluvium near Ratnapura in 1962 and a sub-fossil right middle phalanx 14C dated to ~ 16,500 ybp, discovered in 1982 in a prehistoric midden at Batadomba Cave, near Kuruwita. The species is diagnosed from the only other big cats known from Sri Lanka, Panthera pardus and the extinct P. leo sinhaleyus Deraniyagala, 1938. This record significantly advances the timing of dispersal of tigers into the Indian peninsula. Tigers appear to have arrived in Sri Lanka during a pluvial period during which sea levels were depressed, evidently prior to the last glacial maximum ca. 20,000 years ago. The lion appears to have become extinct in Sri Lanka prior to the arrival of culturally modern humans, ca.37,000 ybp." *This image is copyright of its original author *This image is copyright of its original author Tiger is a member of the Felidae family and the largest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera. The Panthera tigris tigris (Bengal tiger) is a tiger subspecies native to India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. The pattern of genetic variation in the Bengal tiger corresponds to the premise that tigers arrived in India approximately 12,000 y ago. Kitchener and Dugmore (2000) consider that the changing biogeographical range of the Panthera tigris through the last glacial-interglacial cycle, based on habitat associations of modern tiger specimen records, and environmental reconstructions from the LGM. These cycles indicate that the numerous glacial cycles that span the evolutionary history of the tigers since its appearance in the fossil record about 2 Ma ago and the oldest tiger fossils (around 2 Ma old) are from northern China and Java. The key issue is to determine the extent to which ancestral populations of the tiger were geographically isolated. However, Pleistocene glacial and interglacial fluctuations and other geological events probably caused repeated geographic restrictions and expansions of tigers. Hemmer (1987), Kitchener and Dugmore (2000) estimated the most recent common ancestor for tiger mtDNA haplotypes was 72,000–108,000 years ago, with a lower and upper bound of 39,000 years and 157,000 years, respectively. Recent history of tigers in the Indian subcontinent is consistent with the lack of tiger fossils from India prior to the late Pleistocene and the absence of tigers from Sri Lanka, which was separated from the subcontinent by rising sea levels in the early Holocene. However, a recent study of two independent fossil finds from Sri Lanka, one dated to approximately 16,500 years ago, tentatively classifies them as being a tiger (Manamendra-Arachchi 2005). However, "the discovery of the Ratnapura tiger in alluvium, together with hippopotamus and rhinoceros fossils, demonstrates that tigers did indeed occur in the island". Nine fossils and sub fossils were identified that belongs to Tiger. Five of the fossils dated among those and identified aged 14,000 – 20,000 old. One fossil identified that is belongs to "Lion". "Tiger was living BEFORE 17,000 years" (Manamendra-Arachchi 2009). The Holocene range of the tiger extends to the southernmost tip of peninsular India and to all of tropical continental Asia. Before, the apparent absence of evidence of tiger fossils in Sri Lanka and Pleistocene peninsular India has led to the conclusion that tigers arrived in south India “too late to get into Ceylon” (Pocock 1930) as a result of the India -Sri Lanka land bridge having been submerged since the Late Pleistocene. *This image is copyright of its original author On the basis of the few known Indian tiger fossils dating to the Holocene and the recent literature too, dates of the arrival of tigers to the Indian peninsula were occurred in the last glacial maximum, ca. 12,000 yr BP. Panthera tigris probably differentiated in the early Pleistocene (1.806–2.588 Ma ago) in northcentral and northeastern China. The earliest forms averaged smaller than those of later Pleistocene times. It thus seems that the species has reached its maximum size in the living subspecies P. t. altaica. The early Pleistocene species Panthera palaeosinensis, from northern China, appears to represent an early tiger or a form ancestral to the tiger (Mazak 1981) like P. aff(/cf). tigris. *This image is copyright of its original author Quote:Researches on fossil remains have been conducted by many scientists, and Mazak (1981) summarizes them. Accordingly fossil remains, definitely identified as Tiger, are of lower to upper Pleistocene age and originate from the Altai caves in central Asia, eastern and northern China, including Choukoutien localities, Japan, Jana River in northern Siberia, the Ljachov Island situated off the northern coast of Siberia, and from Sumatra and Java. In addition, several sub-Recent tiger remains were found in Caucasus region, India, and Borneo. It is not clear whether the material from Borneo represents a member of the native late Pleistocene fauna or a later introduction by humans (there is no reliable evidence of tigers on Borneo within historic times).Apart from the leopard, which still persists in all natural habitats across Sri Lanka, the only big cat recognised from the island is an extinct lion, known only from two teeth found in alluvial deposits at Kuruwita (06°47’N, 80°22’E). Based on these, P. [E. P.] Deraniyagala (1939) erected a new subspecies of lion, Panthera leo sinhaleyus, designating a left lower carnassial (M1) as holotype (the other, a fragment of a right lower canine, in too poor condition to facilitate diagnosis, was lodged as a ‘metatype’ in NMSL: P. Deraniyagala, 1947). The lion has been one of the most widespread of all noncommensal mammals, having enjoyed a Pleistocene range that included Africa, Eurasia, North America and tropical South America (Nowak, 1999: 834). While the fossil record confirms that the species’ range in the Indian subcontinent did extend south to the 21st parallel and east to 87º E (Pilgrim, 1931; Dutta, 1976)—approximately a line joining Gujarat to Bengal—there is no evidence of the existence of the lion in Asia east of Bengal or anywhere in peninsular India and Sri Lanka, except for P. leo sinhaleyus. The Holocene range of the tiger, however, extends to the southernmost tip of peninsular India and to all of tropical continental Asia (Hooijer, 1947; Aziz & de Vos, 1999). The apparent absence of evidence of tigers in Sri Lanka and Pleistocene peninsular India has led to the conclusion that tigers arrived in south India “too late to get into Ceylon”. *This image is copyright of its original author Unlike in the case of the lion, more comprehensive studies are available on the possible existence of a prehistoric tiger in Sri Lanka, thanks to the availability of more fossil specimens to go by. The existence of Panthera tigris has been supported by the discovery of nine fossils and subfossils. However, "radiocarbon dates are only available for four of these fossils", which place the tiger’s existence at around "14,000 to 17,000 years ago" ‒ which means the tigers roamed our country for long after the Ceylon lion is believed to have gone extinct in atmost 3000 ya. In fact, according to Kelum Manamendra-Arachchi, the discovery of tiger fossils in the same areas as the ‘kitchen midden’ of the Balangoda man, suggests that not only would these tigers have existed around the same time, but tiger may have even have been hunted for food by that cannibalistic prehistoric man. *This image is copyright of its original author *This image is copyright of its original author The right middle phalanx of the now extinct tiger found at the Batadomba lena. Image courtesy Kelum Manamendra-Arachchi. Many of these fossils were discovered in Kuruwita, in the Ratnapura district. Here’s a breakdown of the tiger fossils according to when and where they were discovered:
*This image is copyright of its original author Image courtesy: hitchhikersguidetosrilanka.wordpress.com Although Sri Lanka has many, many traditional depictions of lions, these don’t have any connection to the prehistoric species believed to have once existed. One of the most pertinent concerns is, of course, what caused the extinction of these big cats. This is a difficult question to answer, said Manamendra-Arachchi, although he added that changes in climate and loss of habitat could be a key factor, as well as possible hunting by other animals and man. He explained that both the lion and the tiger required very specific habitats, especially the lion, which is an open grassland species mainly. Experts have noted, “The lions therefore appear to have been victims of the advancing rainforests and dense monsoon forests that accompanied the pluvial phase that saw the advent of the tiger in Sri Lanka. While the Kuruwita and Ratnapura fossils show that lions and tigers were sympatric in this area, however, there is no evidence to suggest they were syntopic [sharing the same habitat at the same time].” *This image is copyright of its original author Quote:Since the tiger is often associated with rainforest habitat, the discovery of tiger fossils in the Ratnapura district has led experts to believe that what is today considered the ‘dry zone’ in Sri Lanka, may actually, hundreds and thousands of years ago, have been rainforest area.The discovery of many other fossil specimens in the same area over the years, has also indicated the existence of other mammals, including "two species of rhinoceros, a hippopotamus, and two species of elephant", in prehistoric times. Given that these animals today live in relatively dry habitats, Manamendra-Arachchi believes these specimens may have roamed Sri Lanka closer to the time of Panthera leo sinhaleyus, which also required a dry habitat. Finally, is there any connection between the pre-historic Ceylon lion and the many depictions of lions found in ancient Sri Lankan art, architecture, and folklore? Given that the fossils unearthed have placed the animal’s existence at a time long before human civilisation, this is highly unlikely, says Manamendra-Arachchi, adding that the depictions of lions here were very likely by artists and sculptors who, in all likelihood, had never set eyes on the animal themselves. *This image is copyright of its original author Featured image courtesy spyderonlines.com *This image is copyright of its original author *This image is copyright of its original author 3. Ceylon(Asiatic) Cheetah (Acionyx jubatus venaticus): *This image is copyright of its original author Cheetahs made a sudden appearance in the fossil records around the globe at almost the same time, about 3.5 to 4 million years ago in the Pliocene, so it is difficult to determine exactly where they first arose. It appears that the cheetah split from other large cats several million years ago in a lineage that includes the puma and jaguarundi, a small South American cat. Cheetahs, pumas and jaguarundis are closely related with anatomical similarities, corroborated by recent molecular analysis. In prehistoric times, the cheetah's distribution was more extensive; several species of cheetah-like cats were widely distributed throughout Africa, Asia, Europe and North America up to only 10,000 years ago. The opening up of habitat during the Pliocene favoured a cursorial (running) lifestyle, which cheetahs have exploited to the maximum. The oldest known fossil records of the modern cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus are from East Africa about 3.5 million years ago, with slightly later records in southern Africa and Asia. A very large cheetah, Acinonyx pardinesis, lived in Europe during the Pliocene and Pleistocene, from about 3.2 million to 500,000 years ago. Fossils that have been uncovered suggest that cheetahs originated from North America and migrated to the Old World at around 5.5 million years ago. These fossils are largely similar to the modern cheetah’s skeleton, which means that prehistoric cheetahs probably possessed the very same anatomy required to survive in their environments, albeit with some differences. *This image is copyright of its original author A. pardinensis was the size of a small modern-day lion and weighed up to 105 kg, but had the same limb proportions as a modern-day cheetah. Because of its larger mass, A. pardinesis wasn't as fast as today's cheetah, but was still able to swiftly pursue its prey across the grassy steppes of Eurasia. At the same time as the European cheetah, a genus of sprinting cheetah-like cats called Miracinonyx arose in North America. The earliest species Miracinonyx inexpectatus, weighing up to 95 kg, was only slightly smaller than the European A. pardinensis, while the later form Miracinonyx trumani was smaller and resembled the modern cheetah, A. jubatus. M. Trumani survived up to 10,000 to 20,000 years ago. Both American cheetah-like species exhibited the same small, domed skull and slim, elongated bones of the existing species today, but differed in a number of skeletal features, including retention of fully retractile claws. M. expectatus had intermediate body proportions between a puma and a cheetah, but was more versatile, running faster than a puma and better equipped for climbing than a cheetah. A fossilized skull of a new species of primitive cheetah, Acinonyx kurteni, was recently found in China. The skull, between 2.16 and 2.55 million years old, is about the same size as living cheetahs but has a very wide braincase, enlarged frontal sinuses and primitive teeth. The discovery of this skull may cast doubt on the theory that cheetahs evolved in North America and spread into Eurasia and Africa. On the other hand, it is possible that the modern cheetah, A. jubatus, first evolved in Africa from an earlier species on the cheetah-puma lineage that had arisen elsewhere and colonised Africa, spreading into Eurasia. For example: during the early and middle Pleistocene, roaming the wide open plains of Europe and China was a species called the giant cheetah (see above), so named because it had the size of a lion (around 2 meters long). But just like its modern-day counterpart, this feline was built for speed despite its size, capable of outrunning its prey (ibex and elks, these two being larger than today’s gazelles) at around 112 km/h or more, due to its longer legs and back. *This image is copyright of its original author Why did cheetahs migrate from North America towards Africa and Asia, you might ask? Genome studies suggest that the spotted cats’ populations may have experienced a sharp decline around 100,000 years ago, either due to widespread diseases or a heavy depletion of prey species at around the end of the Ice Age, an event that lowered genetic variability. Other cheetah species could have been evolving elsewhere in the world (North America and Eurasia) at the same time, possibly from the same distant ancestor of the African (modern) cheetah. There are still large gaps of knowledge of cheetah evolution because few fossils have been found. The cheetah appears to have suffered a series of severe population reductions or "bottlenecks" in its history, with the most significant probably occurring during the late Pleistocene, about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. Drastic changes in the earth's climate resulted in a major extinction of vertebrates worldwide (75% of all mammals in North America and Europe died). Over a few thousand years, all the cheetahs in North America and Europe, and most of those in Asia and Africa died. Cheetahs may have migrated to more suitable environments as ice covered a large part of the northern hemisphere and sea levels fell. The cheetah survived the mass extinction of the Pleistocene Epoch, but its numbers were greatly reduced. Brothers were left to reproduce with sisters and parents with siblings, which led to inbreeding. Today's population are direct descendents of the survivors, the only cheetah species that survived. The cheetah was first described scientifically by J.C.D. von Schreber in 1775 as Felis jubata from a specimen collected at the Cape of Good Hope. *This image is copyright of its original author This is proof that the cheetah has perfectly evolved to become the world’s fastest land animal, and to overcome all obstacles with its tremendous speed. Unfortunately, nowadays, its future is uncertain: indeed, even its incredible speed is not enough to escape all the man-made catastrophes (trophy hunting, habitat loss, poaching, conflicts with farmers, global warming…). Therefore, it’s only up to us humans to help cheetah populations replenish again. Eventually, cheetahs left the Americas towards their current ranges in Africa and Asia, where they thrived, roamed by the millions, and evolved many adaptations that enhanced their sprinting abilities (the elongated spine, the non-retractile claws, the long tail used for balance…). *This image is copyright of its original author ---------->Modern Cheetah (Acionyx jubatus) historical range map.Sri Lankan(Ceylon) Leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya): According to a BBC article, the Sri Lankan leopard an endangered cat has evolved to become a rather large leopard subspecies with very large males reaching almost 220 lb (100 kg), due to the fact that it is an apex predator without competition by other large wild cat species in the country. The leopard is sympatric with the Sri Lankan Sloth Bear. On the island of Sri Lanka, leopards are the reigning top predator and, with no other big cat to compete with, they have become super-sized – the biggest leopards in the world besides Central African Congo leopards and Persian leopards.  *This image is copyright of its original author 'Ivan' is reputedly the biggest leopard in the world (credit: BBC / Paul Williams)Elsewhere they are elusive predators, but here they have little to fear and can be seen proudly sauntering along the roads of Yala, the country’s most famous national park. Boasting the highest density of leopards anywhere in the world, Yala is also home to the biggest of them all. Weighing in at almost 100kg, Ivan the one-eyed leopard enjoys a notoriety in these parts. It wasn’t long before we detected the heat signature of a large male as it appeared from behind a bush. I was startled by how big it was. I’ve filmed leopards elsewhere in the world, but this cat looked more like a jaguar – a more muscular, powerful animal with larger jaws. http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141013-...ds-of-yala  *This image is copyright of its original author *This image is copyright of its original author ----->Modern Leopard (Panthera pardus) historical range map.
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