Cave lions are large extinct carnivorous
felid
Felidae ( ) is the Family (biology), family of mammals in the Order (biology), order Carnivora colloquially referred to as cats. A member of this family is also called a felid ( ).
The 41 extant taxon, extant Felidae species exhibit the gre ...
s that are classified either as subspecies of the
lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...
(''Panthera leo''), or as distinct but closely related species, depending on the authority.
The subspecies or species known by this name include:
* ''
Panthera spelaea
''Panthera spelaea'', commonly known as the cave lion (or less commonly as the steppe lion), is an extinct ''Panthera'' species that was native to Eurasia and northwest North America during the Pleistocene epoch. Genetic analysis of ancient DNA ...
'' formerly ''P. leo spelaea'', the Eurasian or European cave lion
* ''
Panthera fossilis
''Panthera fossilis'' (also known as ''Panthera leo fossilis'' or ''Panthera spelaea fossilis'') is an extinct species of Felidae, cat belonging to the genus ''Panthera,'' known from remains found in Eurasia spanning the Middle Pleistocene and po ...
'' or ''P. spelaea fossilis'' or ''P. leo fossilis'', the Early Middle Pleistocene European cave lion
*
''Panthera atrox'' or ''P. atrox'', the American lion or American cave lion
{{disambiguation
Cave lion