Lion Taxonomy, Subspecies, and Prehistoric Relatives: Unveiling Lion Evolution

Lion Taxonomy, Subspecies, and Prehistoric Relatives: Unveiling Lion Evolution:

Taxonomy: 

                                                                                    Carl Linnaeus, in his work Systema Naturae, bestowed the lionwith the scientific name Felis leo in 1758. In 1816, Lorenz Oken introduced the genus name Panthera. Over the span of the mid-18th to mid-20th centuries, researchers examined and identified 26 lion specimens as potential subspecies. By 2005, 11 of these proposed subspecies were acknowledged as valid. The differentiation among these subspecies primarily relied on variations in the size and coloration of their manes and skins.

Subspecies:  During the 19th and 20th centuries, numerous lion specimens were examined and proposed as subspecies, ultimately leading to the recognition of around a dozen valid taxa until 2017. The IUCN Red List assessors primarily used two subspecific names between 2008 and 2016: P. l. leo for African lion populations and P. l. persica for the Asiatic lion population. However, in 2017, the Cat Classification Task Force of the Cat Specialist Group revised lion taxonomy based on the findings of several phylogeographic studies on lion evolution.

The revised taxonomy now recognizes two subspecies:

• TP. l. leo (Linnaeus, 1758): This nominate lion subspecies includes the Asiatic lion, the regionally extinct Barbary lion, and lion populations in West and northern parts of Central Africa. Synonyms for this subspecies include P. l. persica (Meyer, 1826), P. l. senegalensis (Meyer, 1826), P. l. kamptzi (Matschie, 1900), and P. l. azandica (Allen, 1924). It has been referred to as the "northern lion" and "northern subspecies" by multiple authors.

•  P. l. melanochaita (Smith, 1842): This subspecies encompasses the extinct Cape lion and lion populations in East and Southern African regions. Synonyms for this subspecies include P. l. somaliensis (Noack 1891), P. l. massaica (Neumann, 1900), P. l. sabakiensis (Lönnberg, 1910), P. l. bleyenberghi (Lönnberg, 1914), P. l. roosevelti (Heller, 1914), P. l. nyanzae (Heller, 1914), P. l. hollisteri (Allen, 1924), P. l. krugeri (Roberts, 1929), P. l. vernayi (Roberts, 1948), and P. l. webbiensis (Zukowsky, 1964). It has been referred to as the "southern subspecies" and "southern lion."

However, there appears to be some degree of overlap between these two groups in northern Central Africa. Recent DNA analysis suggests that Central African lions have genetic contributions from both the northern and southern lions. While they cluster with P. leo leo in mtDNA-based phylogenies, their genomic DNA indicates a closer relationship with P. leo melanochaita.

Genetic clustering of lion samples from different parts of the Ethiopian Highlands also reveals interesting patterns. Some samples from Ethiopia cluster genetically with those from Cameroon and Chad, while others cluster with samples from East Africa. This suggests that Ethiopia may serve as a contact zone between the two subspecies.

Furthermore, genome-wide data from a wild-born historical lion sample from Sudan showed clustering with P. l. leo in mtDNA-based phylogenies, but a high affinity to P. l. melanochaita. These findings suggest that the taxonomic classification of lions in Central Africa may require revision.

Fosil records: 

During prehistoric times, various lion subspecies or sister species coexisted with the modern lion. These include:

•  P. l. sinhaleyus: This fossil carnassial was discovered in Sri Lanka and attributed to a lion. It is believed to have gone extinct approximately 39,000 years ago.

•  P. fossilis: Larger than the modern lion, P. fossilis inhabited the Middle Pleistocene period. Excavations in caves across the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic have yielded bone fragments from this species.

• P. spelaea, or the cave lion: The cave lion roamed Eurasia and Beringia during the Late Pleistocene. It became extinct around 11,900 years ago, likely due to climate warming or human expansion. Bone fragments found in European, North Asian, Canadian, and Alaskan caves indicate its presence across a vast range, spanning from Europe to western Alaska via Siberia. The cave lion likely evolved from P. fossilis, and it was genetically isolated and highly distinct from the modern lion in Africa and Eurasia. It is depicted in Paleolithic cave paintings, ivory carvings, and clay busts.

•  P. atrox, or the American lion: Ranging from Canada to possibly Patagonia, the American lion emerged when a cave lion population in Beringia became isolated south of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet approximately 370,000 years ago. A fossil discovered in Edmonton dates back to 11,355 ± 55 years ago.

These prehistoric lion species provide valuable insights into the diversity and distribution of lions in different regions of the world throughout history.