Panthera leo fossilis
Panthera leo fossilis is a fossil cat of the genus "Panthera", which was first excavated near Mauer in Germany, and lived during the Upper Pleistocene. Bone fragments of "P. l. fossilis" were also excavated near Pakefield in the United Kingdom, which are estimated at 680,000 years old. Bone fragments excavated near Isernia in Italy are estimated at between 600,000 and 620,000 years old. The first Asian record of a "fossilis" lion was found in the Kuznetsk Basin in western Siberia and dates to the late Early Pleistocene. Evolution. "P. l. fossilis" is estimated to have evolved in  Eurasia about 600,000 years ago from a large pantherine cat that originated in the Tanzanian Olduvai Gorge about 1.2–1.7 million years ago. This cat entered Eurasia about 780,000–700,000 years ago and gave rise to several lion-like forms. The first fossilis that can be definitively classified as "P. l. fossilis" date to 610,000 years ago. Recent nuclear genomic evidence suggest that interbreeding between modern lions and all Eurasian fossil lions took place up until 500,000 years ago, but by 470,000 years ago, no subsequent interbreeding between the two lineages occurred. Characteristics. Bone fragments of "P. l. fossilis" indicate that it  was larger than the modern lion and was among the largest cats. Skeletal remains of "P. l. fossilis" populations in Siberia measure larger than those in Central Europe. Compared to a modern lion, "P. l. fossilis" had a slightly wider skull and nasals, smaller orbits, less inflated bullae, less specialized lower teeth, reduced lower premolars and smaller incisors. Taxonomic history. "P. l. fossilis" was considered an early lion subspecies. Some authors considered it a subspecies of "Panthera spelaea" ("Panthera spelaea fossilis"). Results of mitochondrial genome sequences derived from two Beringian specimens of "Panthera spelaea" indicate that it and "Panthera fossilis  were distinct enough from the modern lion to be considered separate species. Palaeobiology. This lion coexisted with early humans and prehistoric fauna. A mandible from the early hominid Homo heidelbergensis" was excavated in 1907 at Mauer, Germany. Herbivores that coexisted with the lion included the hippopotamus, narrow-nosed rhinoceros, straight-tusked elephant, southern mammoth, moose, steppe bison and fallow deer. Sympatric predators included bears, wolves, hyenas and saber-toothed cats.