Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

American Lion? Nope!

  • 13-05-2010 1:59pm
    #1
    Galvasean
    Registered Users 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.
    Tagged:


Advertisement