Research overview: Panthera spelaea, Panthera fossilis, and cave lion taxonomy

This overview surveys the taxonomy of the Eurasian cave lion and its immediate ancestors. The classic Late Pleistocene cave lion is usually called Panthera spelaea, while larger, earlier Middle Pleistocene forms are often referred to as Panthera fossilis and regarded as ancestral to it. The survey reviews how researchers distinguish these chronological forms by size and skull and tooth morphology, the debate over whether the cave lion is a subspecies of the modern lion or a separate species, and how ancient DNA has reshaped the picture by demonstrating a deep, distinct cave-lion lineage. It discusses the relationship of Eurasian cave lions to the Beringian and American lions and why a stable taxonomy matters for tracing the spread and evolution of Ice Age lions.