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How many types of lions are there today? You may be surprised to know that this was the subject essential discussions in the scientific community. In the article below, we delve deeper into this scientific discussion, looking at both extinct and current lion species, and also looking at their lower classifications. Let’s dig in!
The great lion taxonomy debate
When you think of the great animal debates, your thoughts probably wander to topics such as “will the tiger or the lion win the fight” long before you think about taxonomy debate.
However, there has been a lot of taxonomy debate regarding lions, which is actually changed the types of lions we recognize!
Scientists have long concluded that there is only one species of lions in the world today. Its scientific name is Panthera leo leo.
However, until 2016, there were two different types (subspecies) of lions. One of them was the African lion (Panthera leo leo) and the other was an Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica). The difference between them was easy enough to describe: African lions lived in Africa, and Asians lived in Asia.
However, in 2017, the taxonomy of lions has undergone dramatic changes.
Types of lions living today
In 2017, the Cat Taxonomy Working Group changed the definition of lion types. Lions were no longer just African or Asian lions.
Instead, two types of lions are recognized today. There are two subspecies:
- Panthera leo leo: Includes lion populations in Asia and North Africa.
- Panthera leo melanochaita: which lives in southern Africa.
The dividing line between the two types of lions – Ethiopia and South Sudan. In these locations, the two types of lions often mate and mingle, making it difficult to distinguish between them.
The old types of lions that are no longer recognized
- Cape Lev: The Nakidian lion lived in the plains of South Africa and was considered a unique subspecies with a darker body than other lion species. It became extinct in the wild in 1858, but its descendants may be in zoos around the world. Today, the Cape lion is no longer recognized as a subspecies.
- Barbary lion: Barbary lions lived in North Africa and have long been considered a subspecies of lions. They are also called Nubian lions, satin lions, and Berber lions. Barbary lions were actively hunted throughout their range, with the last recorded sighting in 1956. DNA analysis has led to the conclusion that the Barbary lions were No separate subspecies.
- Asiatic lion: The Asiatic lion has long been considered a distinct subspecies. There is the only remaining lion population on the Asian continent that lives near the Gir National Park in India. Given how isolated these lions are, it’s easy to see why they were originally classified as a special type of lion. However, recent DNA research has shown again that these lions are very similar to lions in North Africa.
In the past 200 years, several species of lions have been considered unique species or subspecies. Here are some types of lions that are no longer classified.
Types of lions: extinct and alive today
Even 10,000 years ago, lions were considered the most common mammals outside of humans!
This is because in both North America and the vast steppes of Europe, lion species lived, which included mammoths and other large mammals. Recently extinct lion species included:
- Cave lion (Panthera spelaea): The cave lion hunted from Europe to Alaska in the Eurasian steppes. This species became extinct about 12,000 years ago when other species such as mammoths and woolly rhinos. Researchers studying the skeletons of cave lions have estimated that they would weigh up to 747 pounds, making them larger than the largest lion to date.
- American lion (Panther atrox): The American lion lived in present-day Mexico and the United States. This species became extinct around the same time as the cave lion, about 12,000 years ago. American lions were notable for their size, with an estimated weight of up to 930 pounds! This makes the American lion the largest lion species on record.
As noted earlier, only one lion species (Panther lion) survives today. While today lions are confined to small patches of savannahs across Africa and the only national park in India, tens of thousands of years ago they roamed most of the land on Earth!
Leo lower classifications
When reading about lions, you may come across references to lion species such as the Transvaal lion, the Congolese lion, or the West African lion. They are often called lion subspecies.
From a classification point of view, this is not true. Links to these lions are called subpopulations or treasure. Commonly cited lion subpopulations include:
- West African subpopulation (often referred to as the West African lion)
- North African / Asian subpopulation (often referred to as Barbary and Asiatic lions)
- Subpopulation of Central Africa (often referred to as the Congolese lion)
- Subpopulation of South West Africa (often referred to as the Katanga lion)
- Subpopulation of East and South Africa (often referred to as Cape lion, Transvaal and East African lion)
Correct lower classification of lions: Panthera leo leo for lions in West Africa, Central Africa, North Africa and Asian subpopulations. Another type of lion is Panthera leo melanochaita, which represents lions from subpopulations of South West Africa, as well as East and South Africa.
Leo family
The lion family belongs to the Felidae, or cats. There are 41 species in this family, including tigers, mountain lions and lynxes. Lions belong to the Pantherinae subfamily, which includes tigers, jaguars, leopards, clouded leopards, and snow leopards.
Genus of Leo
Lions belong to the genus Panther. The genus includes tigers, leopards, jaguars, and snow leopards. Other large cats such as mountain lions and cheetahs are not part of the Pantherbut rather belong to a different subfamily than lions.
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