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American Lion? Nope!

  • 13-05-2010 1:59pm
    #1
    Galvasean
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭


    Doh! Remember that big bad-ass American lion that would like totally destroy a sabertooth cat (Smilodon) in a fight? Well, turns out the American lion (Panthera atrox) wasn't actually a lion at all, but rather a sort of massive jaguar like animal. A sacry beast nonetheless! :eek:
    In a comprehensive analysis of 23 skull dimensions, Panthera atrox emerged as quite distinct from lion, tiger, and jaguar. A separate study of the evolutionary history of pantherine cats by Christiansen placed the "American lion" closest to the jaguar (Panthera onca).

    The work by Christiansen and Harris makes a compelling case that Panthera atrox was, in fact, a kind of giant jaguar rather than a lion. There exists no evidence now that true lions ever immigrated to the Americas.

    Panthera atrox was one of the largest true cats of all time, reaching an estimated weight of at least 351 kg (772 pounds). It apparently lived in open habitats and presumably could tackle even prey as large as a bison. Although present-day jaguars prefer forest settings the largest individuals are usually found in less forested habitats.

    Full article here.

    PCdinofelis.jpg
    The picture is actually of the sabertooth cat Dinofelis, but shhh... it looks a bit like what I imagine a prehistoric monster jaguar to look like.
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