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The evolution of lions
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Background Information
- Lions live in groups called prides. There are about 15 lions in a pride.
- Most of the lion population lives in South Africa, but there are some lions in India.
- There are only around 32,000 lions left in the wild.
- About 5-8 feet long
- About 330-500 lbs
- Live for 10-14 years on average
- Can reach up to 50 mph
The End
Closest Relative
The lion's closest relatives are the
tiger, jaguar, and leopard.
The most distant relatives are the domestic cat and the European Wild Cat.
Lion Fun Facts
The Evolution of
the Lion
- The heaviest lion ever recorded was 826 lbs (375 kg)
- You can hear a Lion's roar from 5 miles away
- Darker manes are more attractive to Lionesses.
- Lionesses are better hunters than the males, so they provide most of the food for the pride.
- Lions can be inactive up to 20 hours a day.
- Lions have 30 teeth.
Evolution
Tongue
Claws
Modern cats first appeared about 10.8 million years ago. Lions, jaguars, leopards, and tigers split off from all other cat ancestors early in the evolution of the cat family and today form what is known as the Panthera lineage.
The lion's tongue has adapted to become long and rough. It has short and prickly barbs on it to help peel skin off of prey and tear meat away from flesh and flesh away from the bones.
Lion's claws have adapted to become long and retractable. This helps them fight off intruders and get meat off of prey.
Manes
Lion manes are a great example of behavioral isolation. Lionesses are more attracted to darker and bigger manes, therefore they are more likely to mate and produce offspring with the lions with impressive manes. Thus, making lion's with unimpressive manes less fit.
Dormaalocyon latouri
Ancestors
The Lion's earliest ancestor is the "Dormaalocyon latouri", a small carnivore that roamed the earth about 56 million years ago.
The lion, bear, tiger, and even household dogs and cats share the same common ancestor.