European jaguar

''Panthera gombaszoegensis'', also known as the European jaguar, is a ''Panthera'' species that lived from about 2.0 to 0.35 million years ago in Europe. The first fossils were excavated in 1938 in Gombasek, Slovakia.

More of its fossil remains were excavated from the Olivola site in Italy, while finds elsewhere in Italy were initially named ''Panthera toscana''. Later fossils were found in England, Germany, Spain, France, and the Netherlands. Sometimes it is recognized as a subspecies of ''Panthera onca'', the jaguar, as ''Panthera onca gombaszoegensis.''

Description

European jaguars were larger than modern-day jaguars found in South America, such as Pantanal and Peruvian jaguars. With a bodyweight between 70 and 210 kg (154 to 463 lbs), they were therefore probably capable of bringing down larger prey. Like other ''Panthera'' species, they are thought to have been sexually dimorphic, with significantly larger males.

History

The ancestors of jaguars are thought to have arisen in Africa; a related form of ''Panthera'' was present in South Africa 1.9 Ma ago. Another form similar to ''P. gombaszoegensis'' has been found dating from early Pleistocene East Africa and had both lion- and tiger-like characteristics. ''P. gombaszoegensis'' was initially the only European Pantherinae species in the Early Pleistocene, being present alongside the felines ''Acinonyx pardinensis'' and ''Puma pardoides'' and the machairodontines ''Homotherium latidens'' and ''Megantereon whitei''. Leopards arrived later in the Early Pleistocene or the Middle Pleistocene, and lions in the Middle Pleistocene.

Taxonomy

''Leo gombaszoegensis'' was the scientific name proposed by Miklós Kretzoi in 1938 for teeth found in Tertiary deposits in Gombasek Cave, Slovakia. It was reassessed and subordinated to the genus ''Panthera'' in 1971. The following are considered to belong to ''P. gombaszoegensis'' as well:

*''Panthera toscana'' proposed in 1949 for carnassial teeth found in Villafranchian deposits in the Arno river valley in Italy. These remains were originally described as a distinct species and later as subspecies ''Panthera gombaszoegensis toscana''. It is sometimes referred to as the Tuscany jaguar or Tuscany lion.
*''Felis (Panthera) schreuderi'' proposed in 1960 for cat fossils found in Tegelen, the Netherlands.
*''Jansofelis vaufreyi'' proposed in 1971 for cat fossils found in southeastern France.

Some remains once attributed to ''P. gombaszoegensis'' have more recently been identified as ''Acinonyx pardinensis''.

A 2022 study based on a relatively complete skull from Belgium suggested that ''P. gombaszoegensis'' is more closely related to the tiger (''Panthera tigris''), than the jaguar.

Habitat and behavior

The European jaguar has often been thought to be a forest-dwelling cat, similar in habits to the modern jaguar, although recent work suggests that the association between the European jaguar and forested habitats is not as strong as has often been assumed. It was probably a solitary animal.

File:Panthera toscana.JPG, Skull, Florence
File:Panthera toscana 1.JPG, Same skull
File:Panthera schreuderi.JPG, Mandible, Rotterdam

See also

*''Panthera atrox''
*''Panthera blytheae''
*''Panthera palaeosinensis''
*'' Panthera shawi''
*''Panthera spelaea''
*''Panthera zdanskyi''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1164873

Panthera
Pleistocene carnivorans
Pleistocene mammals of Europe
Pleistocene mammals of Africa
Middle Pleistocene
Prehistoric pantherines
Prehistoric mammals of Europe
Prehistoric mammals of Africa
Fossil taxa described in 1938
Pleistocene first appearances
Pleistocene extinctions