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Panthera fossilis
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<p><i>Panthera fossilis</i> (also known as <i>Panthera leo fossilis</i> or <i>Panthera spelaea fossilis</i>) is an extinct species of <a href="/facts/Felidae/Fryfw7gm">cat</a> belonging to the <a href="/facts/Genus/m8EFjSms">genus</a> <i><a href="/facts/Panthera/qSTyXeae">Panthera</a>,</i> known from remains found in <a href="/facts/Eurasia/KlLI9GDM">Eurasia</a> spanning the <a href="/facts/Middle_Pleistocene/UIH3W1Uk">Middle Pleistocene</a> and possibly into the <a href="/facts/Early_Pleistocene/jPp2Cn7a">Early Pleistocene</a>. </p><p>Although often historically considered a subspecies of the living <a href="/facts/Lion/pcWuIuIz">lion</a> (<i>Panthera leo</i>), <i>Panthera fossilis</i> is currently considered either a distinct species to be ancestral to or a <a href="/facts/Chronospecies/vRHe5aHg">chronosubspecies</a> of <i><a href="/facts/Panthera_spelaea/udWaSgwR">Panthera spelaea</a></i> (commonly known as the cave lion or steppe lion). In comparison to Late Pleistocene <i>Panthera spelaea</i> specimens, <i>Panthera fossilis</i> tends to be considerably larger, up to 400–500 kilograms (880–1,100 lb), considerably exceeding modern lions in size, and making them among the largest cats to have ever lived, along with the South American sabertooth <i><a href="/facts/Smilodon_populator/GhDEUMtH">Smilodon populator</a></i>. </p>