For a long time, until the moment when the man became a hunter and got a weapon, on top of the food chain of our planet were representatives of the cat family.Of course, it was not our modern lions, jaguars, leopards and tigers, and their extinct ancestors, such as the saber-toothed tiger, or American Lion.Acquainted with virtually prehistoric extinct American lion, or as scientists call it, Panthera leo atrox.
biological description
All the lions and jaguars, tigers and leopards are members of the cat family (Felidae), belongs to the subfamily Pantherinae - big cats, and the genus Panthera (Panther).According to the research of this kind of evolution took place about 900 000 years ago, where today is a modern Africa.In the future, the representatives of this type have occupied a large part of the Holarctic.The earliest remains of carnivores in Europe were found near the Italian city of Isernia, and determined their age 700 000 years.On the Eurasian continent about 300 000 years ago I lived cave lion.Due to the isthmus connecting while America and Eurasia, part of the populations of these predators cave got through Alaska and Chukotka in North America, where, due to prolonged isolation formed a new subspecies of lions - American.
kinship
As a result, long-term joint work carried out by researchers from Russia, Britain, Australia and Germany, it was found that all we have on the planet there are three types of lions.Today, quite small habitat lives a modern lion.But before him, there were two prehistoric and extinct species today.First of all, cave lion (Panthera leo spelaea), inhabit the west of Canada and the territory of almost the whole of Eurasia during the Pleistocene.In addition, there was also an American lion (Panthera leo atrox), who lived in what is now the United States.And in some parts of South America.He also called the North American lion or a giant jaguar Negele.The studies of the genetic material of fossil animals and modern predators was found that all three types of lions in their genome are very close.But here's what else we found out scientists: a subspecies of the American lion was in a genetic isolation of more than 340 000 years, and during that time it has become very different from other subspecies.
Where did they come from?
originally lions came from Africa colonized the territory of Eurasia and then crossed the Beringia land bridge that connected in those days with the Eurasian continent, North America, and began to develop a new continent.Scientists suggest that the occurrence of two different types in North America due to the exclusion of representatives of these two populations as a result of glaciation.According to another hypothesis different types: cave and American lions - are representatives of the two waves of migration from Eurasia, quite distant from each other in time.
did he look like?
Like other prehistoric predators, American Lion disappeared about 10 000 years ago.At the time, he was one of the largest and most dangerous beasts: its length could be up to three meters and even more, and the weight reached 300 females, and males and up to 400 kg.Among scientists there is still no agreement on the question of whether this animal's mane as his modern descendants, or not.However, his appearance they describe quite clearly: on powerful legs were tight, muscular torso, crowned with a large head, and behind was a long tail.The color of the skin, as the researchers suggest, was solid, but may have changed seasonally.The most morphologically similar to the American lion Ligers - the offspring of a lion and a tigress.It is difficult to imagine from the description looked like American Lion.Photo reconstruction of its appearance helps to understand how it is similar to its present "relative".
where he lived?
Archaeological excavations uncovered the remains of the animal on a fairly large area from Peru to Alaska.This allowed the scientists to argue that the American lion lived not only in the North but also in some regions of South America.Many of the remains of the animal was found near Los Angeles.Even today, despite the significant advances of science, scientists can not give exact and specific causes of the extinction of the predator about 10 000 years ago.There are hypotheses about the depletion of forage land and destruction of animals, serving American food lions because of glaciation and climate change.There is also a version of involvement in the murder of the ancient people of this formidable predator.
Food and competitors
American lion in his time could hunt for ancestors of elk and bison, as well as the extinct bush bull, western camels, bulls and wild horses (Equus).At the same time in North America living and other large predators, also extinct.
to protect its prey and hunting grounds lions could join in the group.Defending their food and territory fought against American Lion saber-toothed tiger (Machairodontinae), the terrible ancient wolves (Canis dirus) and the short-faced bear (Arctodus simus).
