''Leptofelis'' is an extinct genus of ''

Pseudaelurus ''Pseudaelurus'' is a prehistoric cat that lived in Europe, Asia and North America in the Miocene between approximately twenty and eight million years ago. It is considered to be a paraphyletic grade ancestral to living felines and pantherines ...

''-grade

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 ...

found in Spain.

Etymology

The generic name ''Leptofelis'' comes from the Latin words for swift, ''lepto'', and cat, ''felis'', essentially translating to "swift cat". The specific name ''vallesiensis'' was given because the species was found in localities of Vallesian age.

Taxonomy and phylogeny

''Leptofelis vallesiensis'' was first described as ''Styriofelis vallesiensis'' in 2012, based on several specimens from Batallones-1 and Batallones-3, a pair of Vallesian-age localities in Spain. The specimens included a partial but well-preserved skeleton and several skulls. However, a review of the species in 2017 concluded that it was sufficiently different from other ''Styriofelis'' species as to warrant a new genus, and was therefore reassigned as ''Leptofelis vallesiensis''.

Description

''Leptofelis vallesiensis'' is theorized to have had long and slender legs, and to weigh between , similar in size to a caracal or serval. It had certain adaptations intermediate between earlier felids, which were mostly arboreal or semi-arboreal, and later felids that lived mainly on the ground. Because of this, ''L. vallesiensis'' is theorized to have been mainly ground-living, though still climbing trees to escape.

Paleoecology

''Leptofelis'' seemed to prefer open woodland habitat, as evidenced by finds at Cerro de los Batallones. As a predator at Batallones, it would have hunted small rodents, birds and other easily subdued animals. This cat was contemporaneous with such herbivores as horses like ''

Hipparion ''Hipparion'' is an extinct genus of three-toed, medium-sized equine belonging to the extinct tribe Hipparionini, which lived about 10-5 million years ago. While the genus formerly included most hipparionines, the genus is now more narrowly defi ...

'', the hornless rhinoceros ''

Aceratherium ''Aceratherium'' (Greek: "without (a) horn" (keratos), "beast" (therion)) is an extinct genus of rhinocerotid of the subfamily Aceratheriinae that lived in Africa and Asia during the Miocene. Taxonomy ''Aceratherium'' was coined by Kaup (1832) ...

'', the gomphotherid mastodon ''

Tetralophodon ''Tetralophodon'' ("four-ridged tooth") is an extinct genus of "tetralophodont gomphothere" belonging to the superfamily Elephantoidea, known from the Miocene of Afro-Eurasia. Taxonomy and evolution The genus ''Tetralophodon'' (meaning "four-rid ...

'', the suid ''

Microstonyx ''Microstonyx'' was an extinct genus of suid that existed during the Miocene in Asia and Europe. Geographic range Fossils of the species ''M. major'' have been found in Spain, North Macedonia, Turkiye, and China China, officially the ...

'', silvatherid giraffes and boselaphine antelope. ''Leptofelis'' was also contemporary with the

Amphicyonid Amphicyonidae is an extinct family of terrestrial carnivorans belonging to the suborder Caniformia. They first appeared in North America in the middle Eocene (around 45 mya), spread to Europe by the late Eocene (35 mya), and further spread to Asi ...

'' Magericyon'', machairodonts ''

Machairodus ''Machairodus'' (from , 'knife' and 'tooth') is a genus of large Machairodontinae, machairodont or ''saber-toothed cat'' that lived in Africa and Eurasia during the Middle Miocene, Middle to Late Miocene, from 12.5 million to 8.7 million years ...

'', ''

Promegantereon ''Promegantereon'' is an extinct genus of machairodont from the Miocene of Europe. It is one of the oldest machairodont cat species in the Smilodontini and is believed to be an ancestor of '' Megantereon'' and '' Smilodon''. History and taxono ...

'', and ''

Paramachairodus ''Paramachaerodus'' is an extinct genus of saber-tooth cat of the subfamily Machairodontinae, which was endemic to Eurasia during the Middle and Late Miocene from 15 to 9 Ma. A 2022 phylogenetic analysis suggested that the genus may be polyphyl ...

'', the bear ''

Indarctos ''Indarctos'' is an extinct genus of bear, present in Africa, North America, and Eurasia during the Miocene. It was present from ~11.1 to 5.3 Annum, Ma, existing for approximately . The oldest member is from Arizona (~11.1—7.7 Ma) and youngest ...

'', and the small hyenid ''

Protictitherium ''Protictitherium'' ( gr. first striking beast) is an extinct genus of hyena that lived across Europe and Asia during the Middle and Late Miocene, it is often considered to be the first hyena since it contains some of the oldest fossils of the fa ...

''. All these carnivores were competition and with smaller animals like ''Protictitherium'', it would have competed directly against it. The larger carnivores were avoided, either by escaping up trees or through evasion and stealth. The environment of Batallones was a highly variable habitat, with scattered vegetation throughout open areas of grassland. These areas would provide both the necessary protection and ambush sites necessary to hunt successfully.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q48965927 Prehistoric felids Felines Miocene carnivorans Miocene genus extinctions Monotypic prehistoric carnivoran genera Miocene mammals of Europe Fossil taxa described in 2017