The Quaternary lions of Ukraine and a trend of decreasing size in Panthera spelaea

Abstract The fossil record of the cave lion, Panthera spelaea , suggests a gradual decrease in body size, process peaking just before extinction species at end Late Pleistocene. Such an evolutionary trend appears rather unusual for large felid and requires further investigation. This study reviews lions Ukraine, whose fossils are known from 46 localities dated 800 kyr to 18–17 ago, with special emphasis on size changes through time. We describe several important finds including those fossilis Sambir, ssp. Bilykh Stin Cave Kryshtaleva Cave. make subspecific identifications specimens region focus their characteristics. Our analysis Ukrainian agrees temporal decreasing particularly accelerating during MIS 2, as exemplified by extremely small female skull provide direct AMS date this specimen (22.0–21.5 cal BP), which that lioness must have belonged population forced south spreading ice sheet. discuss some palaeoecological aspects history eventual lion. Finally, we review subfossil records extant lion leo sites archaeologically 6.4–2.0 BP. These most probably represent Persian persica .