The Cave Lion (Panthera spelaea and Panthera fossilis)

[Wolverine]

(10-28-2018, 06:26 PM)Smilodon-Rex Wrote:  The evolution history of Lion's family tree

The problem is that in the biology I afraid does not exist such a taxonomic unit as "Lion's family". What does mean family? The only family lion (Panthera leo) belongs to is family Felidae.

Here we need to enter into very basics of the biology:

Family: FELIDAE

Genus: PANTHERA

Specie: Leo


While:

Family: FELIDAE

Genus: PANTHERA

Specie: Atrox


There are no "lions" outside of specie Panthera leo. 

The fact that Panthera fossilis/spelaea and Panthera Atrox evolved from same common ancestor (for example Panthera shawi) as Panthera leo (lion) doesn't mean that they are "lions". After the split they went in different directions of evolution and emerged as different species.
Yes, this species are closely related, jaguar and lion are also closely related and the humans and chimpanzee are also closely related but nobody call people "chimps"...

I agree that from all current species of genus Panthera the lion is most closely related to Panthera fossilis/spelaea and Panthera atrox. So, If we want to imagine how looked like those gigantic powerful prehistoric predators, yes, we have to imagine some kind of lion image but still we cant be 100% sure what color of skin had for example P.atrox . All those paintings are only speculations of the painters.
Actually I have always wanted this gigantic prehistoric predators to be a only lion's subspecies in order one day wild lions to be reintroduced in northern countries and to revive Ice Age landscapes in northern Eurasia and North America. I wish P spelaea and P.atrox to be a lion's subspecies, but unfourtunately seems they were not. Reply