American Lion (Panthera atrox)

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Some facts about American lion 

It had proportionally sliggtly longer legs than even the modern lion. Scientists think this is because they adapted to open land habitat like  the living lion. Anyways it probably had high stamina by big cat standards. 

The largest recorded skull of American lion is 467.5 mm. 

Compared to the African lion skull the American lion they both have a very alike cranium but the latter's skull in a bit more elongated. The lower jaw differs. 

They might've hunted in pairs like the modern lion. There is a frozen bovid found in Alaska nicknamed "The Blue Babe". According to scientists it had been hunted by 2 or 3 lions. Claw marks are visible. However this might have been the Beringian cave lion as well. 

American lions competed with Smilodon fatalis and the short faced bear. The latter was much larger than any American lion. 

American lions probably had reddish fur. Scientists have found near the fossils of the animal reddish furs. Unlike the usually depicted cream colored beast. 

The Tar Pits have less American lions than sabertooth Smilodon fatalis. It is believed that the Pantherine here was more intelligent than the Machairodont. 

The American lion was first described as Felis atrox by the great Joseph Leidy. It was considered later as a jaguar or a cat more closely related to a jaguar than a lion. More recent studies desribe it as a lion. Also it was treated as a subspecies of the modern lion (Panthera leo). Later Dr Ross Barnett confirmed though they are seperated species. Reply