How many species of lions are there today?You may be surprised to know that it is important scientific debate. In the following articles, we delve into this scientific debate, reviewing extinct and living lion species, and reviewing their lower classifications. let’s start!
The Great Lion Taxonomy Debate
When you think of the great debate about animals, you probably think of topics like “Will a tiger or a lion win a fight” long before you think about it? Taxonomy debate.
With lions, however, there is a huge taxonomic debate, in fact Changed the kinds of lions we know!
For a long time, scientists agreed that there is only one species of lion in the world today.its scientific name is Leopard.
In addition, there are seven lion subspecies. Some lion species became extinct thousands of years ago, while others were gradually wiped out by humans. Also, it’s worth noting that many surviving lion species are in danger of extinction.
However, until 2016, lions were divided into two different types (subspecies). An African lion (leopard leo leo) and the Asiatic lion (ocelot). The difference between the two is simple and can be described as African lions live in Africa while Asiatic lions live in Asia.
In 2017, however, the classification of lions has changed considerably.
Different types of lions
Types of lions alive today
In 2017, the Feline Taxonomy Working Group changed the definition of the lion species. Lions are no longer just African or Asiatic.
Instead, there are now two types of lions. The two subspecies are:
- leopard leo leo: Includes lion populations in Asian and North African countries.
- black panther: Live throughout southern Africa.
The dividing line between the two species of lions is Ethiopia and South Sudan. In these areas, the two types of lions often mate and mix, making it difficult to tell them apart.
past lion types that are no longer recognized
Over the past 200 years, several types of lions have been recognized as distinct species or subspecies. Here are some lions that are no longer categorized.
- lion horn: The Cape Lion lives on the plains of South Africa and is considered a distinct subspecies with a darker main body compared to other types of lions. It became extinct in the wild in 1858, but there may be descendants in zoos around the world. Today, the Cape lion is no longer considered a subspecies.
- barbary lion: The Barbary lion lives in North Africa and has long been considered a subspecies of lion. They are also known as Nubian lions, Atlas lions and Berber lions. The Barbary lion is actively hunted throughout its range and the last reported sighting was in 1956. DNA analysis concluded that the Barbary lion was no A distinct subspecies.
- Asiatic lion: Asiatic lions have long been considered a distinct subspecies. Near Gir National Park in India, there is only one lion left on the Asian continent. Given how isolated these lions are, it’s easy to see why they were originally classified as a distinct species. However, recent DNA has again shown that these lions are very similar to lions in North Africa.
Lion Species: Extinct and Alive Today
Until 10,000 years ago, lions were thought to be the most widespread mammal other than humans!
That’s because some lions live on the vast savannahs of North America and Europe, where mammoths and other large mammals live. Recently extinct lion species include:
- cave lion (black panther): Cave lion hunting from Europe to Alaska on the Eurasian steppe. The species became extinct about 12,000 years ago when other species such as mammoths and woolly rhinos died out. Researchers studying cave lion bones estimate they may have weighed as much as 747 pounds, making them larger than the largest lions recorded today.
- Cougar (black panther): Cougars live in modern Mexico and the United States. The species became extinct around the same time as the cave lion about 12,000 years ago. Cougars are known for their size and they are estimated to weigh up to 930 lbs! This makes the puma the largest lion species ever recorded.
As mentioned earlier, there is only one species of lion (Leopard) survive to this day. Today, lions are restricted to small savannas in Africa and a national park in India, but tens of thousands of years ago they roamed most of the land on Earth!
lion lower classification
When reading about lions, you may see references to lion types such as the Transvaal, Congo or West African. These are often referred to as subspecies of lions.
From a classification perspective, this is incorrect.The reference to these lions is the so-called subpopulation or clades. Frequently cited subgroups of lions include:
- West African subpopulation (commonly known as West African lions)
- North African/Asian subpopulations (often called Barbary lions and Asiatic lions)
- Central African subpopulation (commonly known as the Congo lion)
- Southwest African subpopulation (commonly known as the Katangan lion)
- Eastern and Southern African subpopulations (commonly known as Cape Lions, Transvaal Lions and East African Lions)
The correct low-level classification for a lion is leopard leo leo West African, Central African, North African and Asian subpopulations of lions.another lion isblack panther which is a subpopulation of lions from Southwest Africa and East and Southern Africa.
lion family
The lion family belongs to the family of cats or cats. There are 41 species in this family, including tigers, mountain lions and bobcats. Lions belong to the subfamily Leopardae, which includes tigers, jaguars, leopards, clouded leopards, and snow leopards.
Leo
Leo Leopard. The genus includes tigers, leopards, jaguars and snow leopards. Other big cats such as cougars and cheetahs do not belong to the Panthera genus, but are in a different subfamily from lions.
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