Research overview: the cave lion and its relationship to modern lions

The Pleistocene cave lion was a widespread Eurasian and Beringian predator, and ancient DNA has clarified how it relates to living lions. This overview summarizes genetic evidence that the cave lion, often placed as Panthera spelaea, formed a distinct lineage that diverged from the ancestors of modern lions hundreds of thousands of years ago and did not interbreed with them where ranges met. It discusses whether the cave lion is best treated as a separate species or a subspecies, and how preserved specimens, including frozen cubs, have advanced the analysis. For systematics, the cave lion illustrates how extinct megafauna are integrated into the Panthera tree and how ancient DNA resolves the depth of divergence between fossil and living big cats.