Thousands of years ago, the planet of the Earth was settled by various animals, which were extincted for various reasons. Now these animals are often called fossil. Their remains in the form of the preserved bones of the skeleton and the skulls are found in archaeological excavations. Then scientists painfully collect all the bones together and try to restore the external appearance of the animal. The rock paintings, and even primitive sculptures left lived at the same time help them. Today, computer graphics came to help scientists, allowing to recreate the image of the fossil animal. The cave lion is one of the types of ancient creatures that were horror on smaller fellow. Even primitive people tried to bypass his habitat.
Fossil predator cave lion
It was thus discovered and described the oldest kind of fossil predator, whom scientists called the cave lion. The remains of the bones of this animal were found in Asia, Europe and North America. This allows us to conclude that the cave lion has dwell on a huge territory, from Alaska to the British islands. The name that this species got was justified, because it was in the caves that most of its bone remains were found. But only wounded and dying animals left the caves. To live and hunt, they preferred in open spaces.
History opening
The first detailed description of the cave lion was made by the Russian zoologist and the paleontologist Nikolai Kuzmich Vereshchagin. In his book, he told in detail about the generic affiliation of this animal, the geography of its distribution, habitats, features of food, reproduction and other details. This book called "The Cave Lion and his story in the Hollarctic and within the USSR" is written on materials of perennial painstaking research and is still the best scientific work on the study of this fossil animal. Haroarctic scientists call a significant part of the northern hemisphere.
Description of the animal
The cave lion was a very large predator, weighing up to 350 kilograms, height in the withers 120-150 centimeters and body length up to 2.5 meters, excluding the tail. Powerful legs were relatively long, which made a predator with tall animals. It was smooth and short, color - smooth, one-color, sandy-gray, which helped him to mask during the hunt. In winter, fur cover was more lush and saved from cold. The manes in the cave lions were not, as evidenced by the rock paintings of primitive people. But the tassel on the tail is present in many drawings. An ancient predator instilled in our distant ancestors horror and panic.
The head of the cave lion was relatively large, with powerful jaws. The dental system of fossil predators appearance looks the same as the modern lions, but the teeth are still more massive. Two fangs are affected by their kind: the length of each animal canine was 11-11.5 centimeters. The structure of the jaws and the dental system unambiguously proves that the caveman was a predator and could cope with very large animals.
Habitat and hunting
On rock paintings, it is very often depicted as a group of cave lions pursues one sacrifice. This suggests that predators lived in prides and practiced a collective hunt. Analysis of the remains of the bones of animals found in the habitats of cave lions, shows that they attacked deer, elk, bison, tours, yaks, sheep and other animals, which met in this particular locality. Their prey could be young mammoths, camels, rhinos, hippos and do not exclude the scientists of the possibilities of attacks of predators and adult mammoths, but only with favorable conditions for this. Specially on primitive lion did not hunt. A person could be a victim of a predator when the beast went to the shelter, where people lived. Usually, only patients or old individuals were closed in the cave. Alone, a person could not cope with the predator, but the collective protection with the use of fire could save people or some of them. These extinct lions were strong, but it did not save them from an imminent death.
Possible causes of extinction
Mass death and extinction of cave lions occurred at the end of the period, which scientists are called late Pleistocene. This period ended approximately 10 thousand years ago. Even until the end of the Pleistocena, mammoths and other animals are also completely extinct, which are now called fossil. The causes of extinction of cave lions are considered:
- climate change;
- landscape transformation;
- the activities of primitive man.
Climatic and landscape changes violated the familiar habitat of the Lviv and animals themselves, which they fed. They were torn as led to the mass extinction of herbivore animals that have lost their necessary feed, and predators began to die behind them.
Man as a cause of mass death of fossil animals for a long time was completely unclear. But many scientists pay attention to the fact that primitive people were constantly developing and improved. New hunt appeared, hunting techniques have improved. The man began to eat herbivores and learned to confront predators. This could lead to the extermination of fossil animals, including cave lion. Now you know what animals are extinct with the development of human civilization.
Given the destructive influence of a person in nature, the version of the involvement of primitive people to the disappearance of cave lions, today does not seem fantastic.
- Cenozoic ERA Mesozoic Era Paleozoic Era Proterozoic Era Archean Era
- Cretaceous period Perm period Quaternary period Coal period Neogen period Jurassic period Devonian period Paleogenic period Triassic period Silurian period Ordovik period Cambrian period
- abelisaurus Ammonites anteosauridae imperfect fungi Producers shonisaurus acanthodii or kolyuchkozubye Nikkazavr Prokaryotes Rabidozavry elasmosaurine Petalonamy proburnetia tanystropheus eukaryotes Yutatseraptos Acritarchs anchisaurus deuterosaurus Nemia plateosaurus torvosaurus Utahraptor rhizopod Evoplotsefal estemmenosuchidae yorgia Stromatolites tiarajudens chasmosaurus Dickinson archosaurs ONCOLITES Ekriksinatozavr blue-green algae Tsintaozavr archeocyathids centrosaurus apertus Acritarchs torosaurus Arheaspis unenlagia Andiva rugops Ventogirus tylosaurus ctenophore Taraskozavr Triceratops Kimberella Troodon austroraptor spriggina australovenator Vendhya Solza Spinosaurus Alektrozavr Trilobites Aguhatseratops Acritarchs arthropods Trihoplaks Anomalokaridy Argentinosaurus Tribrachidium Arrinotseratops Fagotsitella amargasaurus Harn or Charney alvarezsaurus Ediacaria Flinders anchiceratops Altispinaks Albertosaurus yangchuanosaurus abrosaurus alioramus acrocanthosaurus Evrinozavr Alanya Cetiosaur Amurozavr Edmarka Rex Aerosteon Ceratosavr AUKAYAVR Undorozavr Ahelozavr Dornodontozavr Akatosavr Denonih Brachiosavr or Zhiriffatitian Microsphantor Diplodok Tarobozavr Allosavr Ankilofatitian Afrovator
- trilobithic
- Desmatofocides Maisonix Barburoofelida Birchtikovy PocroCutides Cat Amphibia, or Amphiizian Medusoid Ampodontids Hyienodeon Entelodonts
- Amplectobelua Medusa Davidi Sprigg Analocars Algae Medusa Delicata Medusa Sprigg Smillodones Medusa Radiata Sprigg Minda Minda Sponge Titanotilopus Nebanensis Parwood Kloudine
- Parvancorina minchami Giendodon kruentrus Green algae Megahoerus halichondriidae Cave lion Smilodon populyator Titanotilopus nebraskensis Euglena green Badyaga river Red algae Smilodon fatalis Epipterodon mongolensis Immanopterodon implatsidus Prutovidnaya sponge Tritemnodon Afitsion ingens Cork sponge Fakelliya ordinary Freshwater sponge Miksilla cortical
Cave Lev.
Panthera Leo Spelaea.
The largest representative of feline all times
Cave Leo (Panthera Leo Spelaea) - probably, the record holder in the number of discussions on the assignment of it to one affair. Today there are about a dozen opinions of the relative one who needs to be considered this wonderful beast.
His "misinstations" began in 1810, when a lion skull from the Franconian alba was described by naturalist Georg Augustus Goldfus. Around the mid-19th century around the nature of the animal, disputes began, which can not subscribe to this day. What are the people of science argue about? We have at least the main versions of "in popularity".
The first version is the most popular today. The cave lion, as well as his ancestor, the Mosbakh lion, as well as the East Eastosibirsky and American Lions, is only subspecies within the framework of a single species - "lion".
The second version is the cave-lion - an independent view that includes East Eastosibirsk and Mosbach Lviv, but differing from modern and American lions.
The version of the third is the cave lion is an independent view that differs from modern Lviv, but includes along with ordinary cave lions - Mosbach, East Eastosibirsk and American.
The fourth version. The cave lion is an independent view that occurred simultaneously with modern lion from Lion Mosbakh.
Fifth version. The cave lion is the view that occurred from the modern lion (which allegedly existed over a million years ago), but did not manage to survive his ancestor ...
Six version. Cave lion is a common ancestor of tigers and lions.
The seventh version. Cave lion - subspecies of the tiger.
Eighth version. The caveman from Eurasia is the ancestor of modern Lviv, and the American lion is the ancestor of Jaguarov (this version was criticized by the majority of scientists).
As we see, there are a lot of confusion in this matter. To at least somehow minimalize it, try to push several "general postulates".
Firstly, we are talking about representatives of the predators of the Feline family and the genus Panther, in which some derived a look (more popular point of view), and others (less popular point of view) - "Lion".
Secondly, the arguments about the existence of 1 - 1.5 million years ago, whose confidence can be called lions, seem to us in little happy. The first "real" lions - Mosbakh, which appeared about 700 thousand years ago. The question of their origin is still not clear.
Thirdly, the term "cave lion" will we apply in a relatively narrow meaning - to the please (view?) Lviv - Panthera Leo Spelaea. We will distinguish it from Mosbach Lviv, and from the East Eastosibirsk, and from American, and from modern, mentioning them all, as the closest relatives (and perhaps even the "brothers" in appearance) "cave lion."
In the 21st century, scientists calculated that the point in the two-century discussion will supply genetics. In 2004, German scientists conducted a large-scale study of DNA, which showed that the caveman and all its coming relatives belong to modern lions to one appearance. It would seem - finally! But it was not there. A new international study conducted in 2006 on a greater sample of the material, indicated that the cave lion, the American Lion and the modern lion are three different types! But in 2010, new surveys again made the most of the scientific world in the "United Nations" nature of Lviv.
If among Paleozoologists most of the specialists tend to "multiple" versions, then among the zoologists who study modern animals, a confident victory win the supporters of the "one-day" version. They indicate that, say, in modern wolves, the variability of different "parameters" within one species is much larger than the one that is observed between modern and cave lions. But to divide on different types of wolves and does not come to my mind!
The lions lived in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, in the Caucasus and in the south of Russia during the antiquity and early Middle Ages contribute very strong confusion. Who were they?
Without a doubt, the ancient Etruscans, Greeks, Romans and many other ancient peoples brought predators to Europe to perform in circus, in the zirnts, as well as for military purposes. Some of these animals could run away, and even multiply in nature. But, let's say, the famous Balkan Lion, known to us on the legends on the exploits of Hercules - was definitely initially wild.
Who was he? The subspecies of modern lion? One of the last descendants of the cave? Or in Europe, in general, was synchronously managed to live at the same time different subspecies (or views?) Lviv? Or maybe in the Black Sea and in the Caucasus lived an Asian subspecies of modern lion, formed with the time "branch" in the Balkans? The question is very interesting. According to some reports, lions in Southeast Europe have existed as much as a century of our era! And to say who it was - the cave, Asian or modern African lion - it is impossible to fully confidently! Questions in this animal story - much more than answers ...
Whatever it was, but we can confidently talk about the appearance of the first Panthera Leo Spelaea about 350 thousand years ago.
The cave lions in size occupied an intermediate position between Mosbach and American lions - on the one hand, and modern African - on the other. The first achieved, apparently 2.4 meters in length without a tail. The second (modern) - almost half the meter shorter. The cave lions were approximately 2.1 - 2.2 meters long. If modern lions reach a mass of 250 kilograms, then the caves could weigh - even more than 300. In general, cave lions exceeded modern in linear dimensions by about 10%, while, apparently, had about the same proportions (except that there were few Massive).
The subjects for disputes in the scientific environment are mane, color and ... brush on the tail in cave lions. The basis for discussions was created ... Primitive artists. The cave lion is a rare case for an extinct animal when we can familiarize yourself with the inwards as the beast saw eyewitnesses. We reached us like picturesque and sculptural images of Panthera Leo Spelaea.
The most famous - drawings from the sew cave in France, from Fogelhöhöle's cave in the Swabian Albean ... So, almost all primitive artists depicted cave lions or completely without mane, or is it "with a hint" on her. Consequently, or it was not at all, or she was very short, having nothing to do with the "decoration" of the current African beauties. With a tassel - more difficult. In some drawings, there is a characteristic thickening at the end of the tail, which can only be denoted by a brush. And on some - it is not. As it was in fact - it remains only to guess.
With color - more interesting. At one time it was popular to give a cave lion almost a tigrine striped color. But today it is believed that there are no grounds for this. In the landscapes in which the caveman lived, it would rather serve as a demasking feature. But not very bright stains, folding into a kind of stripes, as it sometimes happens today with young lions, they could well have. In general, the color, cave lions resembled or modern liones, or the Pum - he was most likely, it was either sandy or cream.
The cave lion was the owner of a large head with a straight or somewhat convex profile, with rounded ears and, possibly noticeable tanks. The cave lion looked sufficiently high.
The dental system was similar to modern lion. The teeth themselves were often more massive than modern tigers and Lviv.
Supporters of different views on the nature of the cave lion (and the one who consider the representative of one with him) in different ways describe its area. If the cave lion, together with his East-protein and American brethren, attribute to the type of Lviv - in the period from 300 10 thousand years ago they were the second after a person in prevalence on the globe (and for a certain period of time they even occupied the random than man). But even if you take the Panthera Leo Spelaea in a narrow understanding, the territory on which he dwells is also impressive is almost all Eurasia and North Africa! Moreover, he managed to penetrate the distant north - as well as in Scandinavia in Europe. It is possible that in Asia he could even get to Taimyr.
Regarding the causes and timing of the extinction of cave lions, there are also discussions. Part of the scientists binds it - with the disappearance of food familiar to animals (we will talk more about this in the section on the lion's lion's living), others with a change in climate, the third - with human activity. But almost all researchers agree that most of their range he disappeared in the range of 13,000 - 10,000 years ago. But what then to do with lions, who lived already in historical time in the Black Sea region, in the Balkans, and perhaps even in Italy and Spain ??? The most late mentions of Lviv in the south of Russia - about a thousand years, in Greece - a little more than two! We will leave this question for future generations of scientists. If this is not "lost" African or Asian lions, it is representatives of the latest populations of the cave lions.
Oils in the fire of discussions poured ancient authors and artists. In particular, the rapid discussions cause the presence of the so-called "Scythian Wolf" in the art of the so-called "Scythian Wolf"! This motive was very popular in the first millennium BC. Most likely, they portrayed the "feline". But who - leopard, snow leopard, cheetah? The external similarity refutes all these assumptions. What happens, the image of a lion moved into the art of Scythians from India or from the Middle East?
Perhaps ... But it may be that they often met him in everyday life.
The fact that in Central Asia to this day, almost complete Pleistocean group of hoofs has been preserved, in which a horse, a dog, camel, reindeer, Iisette (in Transbaikalia and Altai), Saiga, Dzerien, Siberian Capricorn, Arkhar, Blue Sheep And Yak (in Tibet). This, in a complex with a small density of human settlement - simply ideal conditions for the existence of a cave lion. The end of the existence in these edges of Panthera Leo Spelaea could put Indo-European or Turkic-speaking nomads who defended their herds or in the first millennium to our era - or in our first one ...
A longer existence of the cave lion is another confirmation. We quote the "book of" the famous medieval Eastern scientist Osama ibn Munkyz, a contemporary of crusades:
"I heard, but did not see that Barca was found among wild animals. I didn't believe it, but Sheikh Imam Hip Dean Abu Hashim Mohammed Ibn Zafar, yes, he raves his Allah, told me the following:" I drove to the West together with An old servant, who belonged to my father, who traveled a lot and experienced a lot. We had all the water, formerly with us, and we suffered from thirst. With us there was no third, and we were alone - he was yes - riding two Camels. We saw a well on the road and headed for him, but found a sleeping leopard about him. We left aside, and my companion came down from his camel, gave me reins, took his sword, Shield and Burdyuk, formerly with us, and said To me: "Look at the head of the camel." He went to the well, and when Bar saw him, he got up and jumped towards him, but he slipped past and bored. His females rushed to him, catching him. He no longer came across on the way and did not cause any harm. We got drunk and drove animals, and Then they went further. " So he told me, but he raves his Allah, and he was one of the best Muslims on his religiosity and scholarship. "
In truthfulness, such an authoritative source - doubt stupid. Leopards Ibn Mankyzu were well known - they would not call them borsami. And even moreover, the hero of the narration is not a snow leopard. A visit to Palestine or Syria Tigger - an event is also very unlikely. And the most interesting thing is a scientist, apparently, describes a pride! Of the modern cats, such a form of life organization is characteristic only for Lviv. But ordinary African and Asian lions in the times of Ibn Munkyz were very common in the world in settlement of Muslims, and he would not call them bicearies! Riddle? Riddle! Perhaps the Arabic sage met one of the last on the planet of cave lions? Everything can be ...
Although - the last? And today, from unexplored corners of Central Africa, news about strange large lions without mane come. Maybe the cave left somewhere still delayed? I would like to believe in it ...
Cave Lev. (Panthera Leo Spelaea), this is an extinct subspecies of Lviv, who dwells during the period of Pleistocene in Europe and Siberia.
The cave lion was probably the largest representative of the Feline family, more than the Ussuri tiger.
For the first time, a German doctor who was engaged in natural sciences described the first time of the cave lion. Georg Augustus Goldfuss.
In Europe, the lion appeared about 700 thousand years ago and happened, probably from mosbakhsky lion.
Mosbakhthe lions were larger than modern lions, the length of the body was up to 2.5 m (without taking into account the tail), and they were approximately half the meter above.
It is from Mosbakh Lion, as it is believed, and happened, about 300 thousand years ago the cave lion spread throughout the territory of Evroassia.
I existed I. east Siberian Cave a lion , in the north and northeast, Eurasia is probably through Berengia, he came to America, leaving the south of the American continent, where he was formed american Lev..
American Lev.
The extinction of East Eastosibirsk and European species of Lviv occurred about 10 thousand years ago, at the end of the last, Valdai (Vurm) glaciation.
There is evidence that the European subspecies of the cave lion met for some time in the Balkans, but it was not clear whether it was a cave lion or other subspecies.
In 1985, near the German town of Zigsdorf, a skeleton of the male cave lion was found, which had a slightly over 2 meters long and a height of 1.2 m, which approximately corresponded to the parameters of the modern lion.
Cave lions by about 5-10 percent were superior to the growth of modern, although there were fewer than American or Mosbach lions.
The unique rock paintings of the Paleolithic is in the caves France Fogelheadhel, in Alsace, and in the south of France, in the cave sew.
Lion was a totem for an ancient person, like a cave bear
Lions lived in Europe and in the north of Asia not only in the era of interdictions, but during the period of the glaciation themselves, apparently the cold was not terrible, and food was enough.
In 2004, scientists from Germany managed to find out as a result of a DNA study that cave lion is not a separate look, but the subspecies of the lion.
In the time of Pleistocene, the northern lions formed their group, differing from African Lviv and Southeast. To this group treated mosbakh Lion, Cave Lion Eastern Esibirsky Lion and American Lion.
Nowadays, all kinds of lions belong to the so-called group "LEO" and all types of Lviv began to divert about 600 thousand years ago.
Some species of the disappeared American lion were much more Mosbach Lion and, therefore, were the largest predators of the cat family who were present on our land.
Asian Lev. (Panthera Leo Persica.) It was distributed in the territory of Southern Eurasia from Greece to India. It is now preserved about 300 individuals in the Girsa Reserve in Gujarat, India.
In the 1990s, to preserve the disappearing population, India passed several pairs of Asian Lviv as a gift to European zoos.
Asian, or Indian lion subspecies has a mass from 150 to 220 kg, mainly 160-190 kg in males, and 90-150, usually 110-120 kg, in females. His mane is not so thick, and it fits more closely to the body.
The Asian Leo has a more squat body, which creates a deceptive impression of its smaller sizes in comparison with African. But the record length of the Asian lion is almost three meters.
In India, about the middle of the last century, the lions lived in Punjab, Gujarat and even in West Bengal.
On the Peninsula of the Kathiyar (southwest), a small population of Asian Lviv remains in the Girsa Forest, but there are less than 150 individuals left. These lions were taken under the protection of the state of 1900.
And the last Indian lion was killed in 1884.
Berberian Lev. (Panthera Leo Leo.), extinct lion's subspecies, originally common in North Africa. Some individuals of Lviv living at present in captivity occur probably from Berber Lviv, but the purebred representatives of the subspecies among them are no longer.
It was Berberian Lions in 1758 that were used by Karl Linnese to describe and classify Lviv. The weight of males was from 160 to 250 kg, less often yes 270 kg, females - from 100 to 170 kg.
Berberian Lev., along with extinct kapsky Lion (Panthera Leo Melanochaitus), was the largest modern subspecies of the lion. His most noticeable difference was a particularly dense dark mane, who came far beyond the shoulders and hanging down on his stomach.
Berberian Lion in historical times met throughout the African continent located north of Sahara.
Berberian lion dwell, except for North African semi-deserts and savannah, also at the Atlas Mountains. Hued on deer, boars and boobals (type of dog-headed monkeys).
Ancient Romans often used Berberian lion in "fusion battles" against the Turan Tiger, also extinct, or to combat gladiators.
The spread of firearms and the purposeful policy of the extermination of the Berberian Lion led to the fact that his population was much reduced in North Africa and the Atlas Mountains. And at the beginning of the XVIII century, the Berberian lion almost disappeared in North Africa, only a small range in the north-west remained.
The Last Freedom Berberian Lion was shot dead in the Moroccan part of the Atlantic Mountains in 1922.
Initially, scientists proceeded from the fact that the Berberian lions were extinct and in captivity. However, Moroccan rulers received from nomadic tribes of Berbers as a gift of lions, even when these animals have already become rather rare.
At the end of the XIX century, a purebred Berberian lion lived in the London Zoo named Sultan.
Those lions that in 1970, the Moroccan king Hasan II handed over the Zoo Rabat, were probably the direct descendants of the Berberian Lviv, at least a phenotype, morphology, they clearly corresponded to the historical description of Berberian Lviv.
In the Zoo, Addis Ababa lives 11 individuals of Lviv, which can be descendants of Berberian Lviv. Their ancestors were the property of Emperor High Selessis I.
At the end of the twentieth century, about 50 lions occurring from Berbering, however, have evidence that they are unclean, and have impurities of other species.
Kapsky Lev. (Panthera Leo Melanochaitus) - extinct subspecies of Lviv. Caps Lions lived on the southern coast of the African continent.
They were not the only subspecies of Lviv inhabited in the territory of South Africa, and the accurate area of \u200b\u200btheir distribution is not yet fully installed.
The main area of \u200b\u200bthe lions was the Cape Province in the vicinity of Cape Town. The last Capskie Lion was killed in 1858.
For males of kapsky lions, a long mane was characterized, spreading beyond the shoulders and covered with the stomach, as well as noticeable black ears tips.
The results of the study of the DNA of the Kapskoy Lviv revealed that this is not a separate subspecies, but most likely the capal lion is only the most southern population transvalsky Lion. (Panthera Leo Krugeri.).
Transvalsky Lev., also known as southeast African Lion, Lion's subspecies that lives in southern Africa, including the Kruger National Park. The name comes from the Transvaal region in South Africa.
Like all Lviv (with the exception of Lviv from the Tsavo National Park), the males of Transvalsky Lion has a mane. Majras spend most of the time, guarding their territory, and the lionesses take on the duties on the hunt and providing pride of food.
The males reach a length of up to three metro (usually 2.5 cm), including the tail. Lionesses are less - about 2.5 meters. The weight of the male is usually 150-250 kg, females - 110-180 kg. Height in the withers reaches 90-125 cm.
For this type of lion is characteristic luckyism, lack of melaninWhat is connected with mutation. The animal wool becomes light-light gray, sometimes even almost white, and the skin under it is pink (due to the lack of melanocytes).
Lions were found in ancient Greece
A.A. KazDym
List of used literature
Sokolov V. E. Rare and endangered animals. Mammals. M.: 1986. P. 336
Alekseeva L.I., Alekseev M. N. Trioofaun Upper Pleistocene of Eastern Europe (large mammals)
Zedlage W. Animal World of Earth. M., World. 1975.
Zoological magazine. Volume 40, issues 1-6, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow State University. M. V. Lomonosov. Zoo museum
West M., Packer C. Sexual Selection, Temperature, And The Lion's Mane. Washington DC. 2002.
Barnett R., Yamaguchi N., I. Barnes, A. Cooper: Lost Populations and Preservving Genetic Diversity in The Lion Panthera Leo, Implications for Its Ex Situ Conservation. Kluwer, Dordrecht. 2006.
Ronald M. Nowak Walker's Mammals of the World, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999
Barton M. Wildes Amerika Zeugen Der Eiszeit. EGMONT VERLAG, 2003
Turner A. The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS, 1997.
http://bigcats.ru/index.php?bcif\u003dlions-ind.shtml.
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A physician and Natural Georg Augustus Goldfus, found a skull of cave lion in the Franconian Albea.
† Cave Lev. |
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In the Soviet paleontology, on the initiative of Nikolai Vereshchagin, a cave lion called Tigrolev.
Spread
In Europe, the first lions appeared about 700,000 years ago and belonged Panthera Leo Fossilis., the so-called Mosbach Lion. The fact that it is sometimes also called cave lion can lead to delusions. As a rule, the thermal cave left is called a later subspecies Panthera Leo Spelaea.. Mosbakh lions reached a length of up to 2.4 m without taking the tail and were half ameter larger than modern Lviv. In size, they corresponded to the ligra. From this major subspecies occurred by the cave lion, which appeared about 300,000 years ago. It was spread throughout Northern Eurasia and even at the time of glaciation penetrated deep to the north. In the north-east of Eurasia, a separate subspecies formed, the so-called Eastern Esibirsky Cave ( ), Which through the then existing land connection between Chukotka and Alaska reached the American continent. Spreading to the south, he developed in the American Lion ( Panthera Leo Atrox). East Eastosibirsk Cave Lev Dimensioned at the end of the last major glaced price about 10 thousand years ago. The European Cave Lion is extinct, in the same period, but it is possible that it remained for some time on the Balkan Peninsula. Regarding the existing ones, until the beginning of our era, Lviv is unknown, whether they were cavemen.
Appearance
The skeleton of the adult male cave lion, found in 1985 near the German Zigsdorf, had a height in the withers of 1.20 m and a length of 2.1 m without taking the tail. This corresponds to a very large modern lion. At the same time, the zigsdorf lion inferior to many of their relatives. Cave lions on average 5-10% exceeded modern Lviv, but did not reach the huge sizes of Mosbach Lviv and American Lviv. The rock paintings of the stone century allow you to make some conclusions about the coloring of the wool and the melting of the cave lion. Particularly impressive images of Lviv were found in Southern France in the seam's cave in the Ardesh Department, as well as in Fogelhöhöle's Cave in the Swab's Alba. Ancient drawings of cave lions show them always without the mane, which suggests that, unlike African or Indian relatives, they have it or not, or she was not so impressive. Often, this image shows a tassel characteristic of lions on the tail. Coloring wool, apparently, was one-color.
In Yakutia, a well-preserved corpse of Lions at the age of several months, as well as two more somewhat worse than the preserved sample.
Lifestyle
Relatives
Unlike Mosbach Lion, relative to the classification of which Panthera Leo Fossilis. Among the scientists always reigned the unanimity, about the cave lion there was a long dispute, whether he was a lion, a tiger or even should be allocated in a separate appearance. In 2004, German scientists managed to definitely determine it using DNA analysis as a subspecies of a lion. Thus, a dispute was completed existing since the first description of this animal in 1810. Nevertheless, the Pleistocene Lions of the North have formed their own group, differing from Lviv Africa and Southeast Asia. To this so-called group Spelaea. treated Mosbakh lion ( P. L. Fossilis.), cave lion ( P. L. Spelaea.), East Siberian Lion ( P. L. Vereshchagini.) and the American Lion ( P. L. atrox). All modern subspecies of lions belong to the group LEO.. Both groups were divided about 600 thousand years ago. Separate fossils of the extinct American lion were more Mosbakh Lion and thus were among the largest feline representatives who ever existed. Previously, they were considered a separate species called giant
Un, Son Bull, loved to be in underground caves. He caught blind fish and colorless crayfish along with Zur, the son of the Earth, the last of the tribe of Va, Li dei-without her shoulders, who survived in the extermination of His people with red dwarfs.
ON and Zur wandered all day along the course of the underground river. Often, she was just a narrow stone cornice. Sometimes it was necessary to make a crawling on a close corridor from Porfire, Gneis, Basalt. Zur brought a smallest torch from the branches of the turpentine tree, and the crimson flame was reflected in sparkling quartz vaults and in the rapidly current waters of the underground flow. Being bending over black water, they watched in her pale, colorless animals, then walked on, before the place where the deaf granite wall was blocked, from which the underground river broke out with noise. For a long time, united Un and Zur in front of the black wall. As they wanted to overcome this mysterious obstacle, to which the Uberam tribe came across six years ago, during his resettlement from north to south.
Un, Son Bull, belonged according to the custom of the tribe, his mother's brother. But he preferred to his father Nao, the son of the leopard, from which inherited powerful addition, tireless light and extraordinary severity of feelings. His hair fell on the shoulders thick hard strands, like a wild horse mane; The eyes were gray clay. Huge physical strength made it a dangerous opponent. But even more than Nao, Unusted was to generosity, if the defeated lay in front of him, prostrate on the ground. Therefore, Ulamra, giving tribute to the power and courage of Unholi, treated him with some disregard.
He always hunted alone or together with Zur, whom Olamra despised for weakness, although no one knew how to skillfully find stones suitable for mining fire, and manufacture a clutch made of soft wood core.
Zura was narrow, flexible, like a lizard, body. His shoulders were so shown that the hands seemed to go straight from the body. Such a tribe of people-without-shoulders looked like from time immemorial. Zur thought slowly, but his mind was more sophisticated than the people of the tribe of Ulamers.
Zur loved to be in the underground caves even more than un. His ancestors and ancestors of his ancestors always lived in the edges of the streams and rivers, part of which disappeared under the hills or was lost in the depths of mountain arrays.
Once in the morning, friends wandered along the river bank. They saw how rose over the horizon the plane of the sun and the golden light flooded the neighborhood. Zur understood what he likes to follow the rapidly running waves; Uncooked by this pleasure. They headed for underground caves. Mountains rumped out right in front of them - high and impregnable. Cool, sharp peaks of an endless wall stretched from the north to south, and there was no pass between them anywhere. Un and Zur, like the whole tribe of Ularam, passionately dreamed of overcome this eradicient barrier.
For more than fifteen years of Ulamra, leaving their own places, nomaded from the North-West to the southeast. Going to the south, they soon noticed that the further, the Earth becomes richer, and the prey is rich. And gradually people are accustomed to this endless journey.
But on their way there was a huge mountain range, and the promotion of the tribe south stopped. Ulamra was in vain a passage among impregnable stone vertices.
Un and Zur sat down to relax in the reeds, under black poplars. Three mammoths, huge and majestic, marched along the opposite banks of the river. It was clear how the antelopes run away; The rhino seemed due to the rocky protrusion. The excitement took possession of the Son Nao. As he wanted to overcome the space separating him from mining!
Sighing, he rose and sued upstream, accompanied by Zur. Soon they found themselves before the dark deepening in the rock, from where the river escaped with noise. Bats have darted into the darkness frightened by the appearance of people.
Excited suddenly came to his mind, Unman said to Zura:
- There are other lands behind the mountains!
Zur replied:
- The river flows from sunny countries.
Man-shrug people have long known that all rivers and streams have the beginning and end.
Blue Dusk The cave was changed by a dark labyrinth. Zur lit one of the captured resinous branches. But friends could do without light - they knew so well every turn of the underground path.
The whole day went un and zur on gloomy transitions along the course of the underground river, jumping over the pit and rafts, and in the evening they fell firmly on the shore, donning baked in the ash rockets.
At night, they woke up a sudden push, which appeared, seemed from the very beginning of the mountain. It was heard the roar of falling stones, crash of crumbling rocks. Then silence came. And, without disassembly, what's the matter, friends fall asleep again.
Vague memories mastered Zur.
"Earth hesitated," he said.
Ung did not understand the words of Zura and did not try to delve into their meaning. His thoughts were short and rapidly. He could only think about those obstacles that arose immediately in front of him, or the mining he pursued. I was looking forward to him, and he all accelerated the steps, so Zur barely having seen next. Long until the end of the second day they got to the place where the deaf stone wall was usually blocking the way.
Zur lit a new resinous torch. The bright flames lit up a high wall, reflected in countless quartz breed breaks.
The amazed exclamation broke out from both young men: the widespread crack in the stone wall!
"It's because the land hesitated," said Zur.
One jump united by the edge of the cracked. The passage was wide enough to miss a person. Ung knew what treacherous traps are thawing in just the collapsing rocks. But his impatience was so great that he, without thinking, squeezed into the stone gap inverable in front of him, so narrow that it was possible to move forward with great difficulty. Zur followed the son of a bull. Love for a friend forced him to forget natural caution.
Soon the passage became so narrow and low that they barely squeezed between the stones, bent, almost crawled. The air was hot and stupid, breathing everything is more difficult ... Suddenly the sharp ledge of the rock blocked them.
Having embarked on, UNHI snatched because of the belt, a stone ax and hit them on a rocky protrusion with such force, as if he had an enemy. The rock was shaken, and young men understood that she could be shifted from the spot. Zur, stuck his torch into the villains of the wall, began to help the ship. The rock was stunned stronger. They pushed her with all his might. The cracks rang out, stones were sprinkled ... the rock was swayed and ... they heard a deaf sound of a heavy boulder. The path was free.
Heaving a little bit, friends moved on. The passage gradually expanded. Soon Un and Zur were able to straighten up all the growth, it became easier to breathe. Finally they found themselves in an extensive cave. Unit of all legs rushed forward, but soon darkness forced him to stop: Zur with his torch did not hesitate for a rapid friend. But the delay was short. The Intirement of the Son of the Bull passed the man-without-shoulders, and they almost run along the big steps.
Soon ahead cut the weak light. He intensified as the young men approached him. Suddenly Un and Zur found themselves at the exit from the cave. Before them stretched a narrow corridor, formed by two sheer granite walls. At the top, high above the heads, a strip of a dazzling blue sky was visible.
- Un and Zur passed through the mountain! The son of a bull happily exclaimed.
He straightened up in his entire mighty growth, and the pride from the consciousness of the perfect feat took possession of all his being.
Zur, more discreeting from nature, was also very excited.
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