How old is the cheetah skull shape? The case of Acinonyx pardinensis (Mammalia,Felidae)

It is generally believed that the skull CCEC-161821 of Acinonyx pardinensis from Saint-Vallier, an Early Pleistocene French locality, is similar to that of the modern cheetah, in contrast to several other Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene Old World felids with cheetah-like teeth, assigned either to Acinonyx Brookes, 1828, or to Sivapanthera Kretzoi, 1929. Morphological comparisons and morphometric analysis of the fossil and recent material show that the Acinonyx pardinensis from Saint-Vallier, although dentally similar to the modern cheetah, is not cheetah-like in its skull shape. All those Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene forms can also be included in Acinonyx, implying that the characteristic skull shape of the modern form is probably a recent acquisition.     

New material of Pleistocene cats (Carnivora, Felidae) from Southern South America, with comments on biogeography and the fossil record

In this paper the systematic position and age of several Pleistocene cat remains found in southern South American are studied, in an attempt to more fully document the scarce record of the group and clear up their obscure Quaternary history. The fossils are compared with a large sample of recent specimens by means of qualitative and quantitative characters, as well as multivariate methods (discriminant analysis). The age of previous records is restricted using recent chronostratigraphic and biostratigraphic studies. Ly. colocolo is recorded in the late Ensenadan (0.78-0.5 Ma BP) and Bonaerian/Lujanian (0.5 Ma-8.5 Ka BP) ages of the Pampean Region (Argentina) and in the late Pleistocene or Holocene of Tierra del Fuego (Chile). An incomplete hemimandible found in the Bonaerian of the Pampean Region is referred to cf. Herpailurus and could be the earliest record of this lineage. Two other remains could belong to On. geoffroyi, but their incompleteness and some differences prevent their assignation to this recent species. The age of “Felis” vorohuensis is restricted to the late Ensenadan. The fossil record of the Ocelot Lineage is very fragmentary, but it is at least as old as late Ensenadan. Taphonomic biases are responsible for this poor fossil record and this fact could partially explain the hiatus with respect to the timing estimated by molecular divergence. The combination of data suggests that Ly. colocolo, On. guigna, On. geoffroyi and Oreailurus jacobita speciated in South America, supporting previous opinions. If the molecular divergence dates are right the recent diversity of this group could be explained by a minimum of five to six immigrations.     

How did environmental disturbances affect carnivoran diversity? A case study of the Plio–Pleistocene Carnivora of the North-Western Mediterranean

The Plio–Pleistocene carnivores from the North-Western Mediterranean (Iberian and Italian peninsulas, and France) are analysed in order to investigate whether their diversity over the last 5.3 Ma was influenced by disturbances of the physical environment. Trends in species diversity over time were analysed in successive unequal time intervals, which were reassessed on the basis of local biochronological schemes. By using a taxon-free characterisation, species were assigned to various ecological categories in accordance with feeding and hunting behaviour, preferred habitat, and average body mass. Principal Component Analysis identified the most important ecological variables in recognising changes among the carnivoran Faunal Complexes that characterised each time interval. The results obtained support the hypothesis that some complex, though not always direct relationships exist between environmental changes and shifts in the diversity of Carnivora (especially for forest dwelling carnivorans). However, progressive changes in carnivoran guilds cannot be interpreted as merely a response to climate changes, because intrinsic biotic control (changes in inter-specific and intra-specific competition) also plays an important role in modifying carnivoran diversity. Therefore, climate change seems to trigger the various factors that contribute to the reconstruction of carnivoran palaeocommunities. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Musteloids and feloids (Mammalia, Carnivora) from the late Miocene locality of Pikermi (Attica, Greece)

Some relatively rare carnivore remains from Pikermi are studied. The present specimens include Simocyon primigenius(ROTH and WAGNER, 1854), Promeles palaeatticus(WEITHOFER, 1888), Martes woodwardiPILGRIM, 1931, Felis atticaWAGNER, 1857 and Machairodus giganteus(WAGNER, 1848), as well as some postcranial remains that resemble Enhydriodon? latipesPILGRIM, 1931 and are assigned to Mustelidae gen. et spec. indet. Some of these species were not known until now but from their holotypes as M. woodwardi and E.? latipes. Other species such as F. attica and M. giganteus are better known but from relatively scant material. Since the material of the earlier mentioned species comes from Pikermi, their type locality, it is of especial importance and improves our knowledge for the Pikermi carnivores and their relationships to other species. In some cases where the material comes from ossiferous blocks, the accompanying faunal context is discussed.     

Three-dimensional fibre-type distribution in the paravertebral muscles of the domestic ferret (Mustela putorius f. furo) with relation to functional demands during locomotion

We investigated the functional corollaries of a relatively long trunk with regard to trunk use during overground and underground locomotion and with regard to fibre-type distribution within the paravertebral musculature using the example of the domestic ferret. Fibre-type distribution was determined using enzyme histochemistry on serial cross-sections through the complete musculo-skeletal apparatus. Back posture and back movements were analysed using cineradiography. During overground locomotion, the back is bent into an arch, resulting in a back length comparable to normally proportioned small mammals. During underground locomotion, the back is held straight, resulting in greater rotational inertia and higher stabilisation requirements. This is reflected in the fibre-type distribution pattern, which differs clearly from that of all other mammals investigated so far. Instead of being separated into superficial, glycolytic and deep, oxidative parts, all the epaxial and the iliopsoas muscles consisted of 20-30% oxidative, 20-30% oxidative-glycolytic and 40-60% glycolytic fibres, with no or only minor differences between superficial and profound muscles or muscle regions. Only the quadratus lumborum muscle showed a fibre-type distribution comparable to other mammals, reflecting its primary function as an accessory muscle of respiration. We suggest that the observed pattern reflects the adaptation of the back muscles to the functional demands of a long trunk and the increased need to stabilise it during overground and especially underground locomotion.     

New analysis of the Pleistocene carnivores from Petralona Cave (Macedonia, Greece) based on the Collection of the Thessaloniki Aristotle University

New taxonomic study of the “old collection” of Carnivora from Petralona Cave, associated to the well-known hominid skull, housed in the Geology School of the Thessaloniki Aristotle University since 1960, revealed 11 species (Canis arnensis, Lycaon lycaonoides, Vulpes praeglacialis, Ursus deningeri, U. spelaeus, U. arctos, Pliocrocuta perrieri, Pachycrocuta brevirostris, Crocuta crocuta, Panthera leo spelaea, and Felis silvestris), which are described in detail. The species composition is typical of the eastern part of the European Mediterranean and may be divided into three biostratigraphic assemblages: early Middle Pleistocene, late Middle Pleistocene and Late Pleistocene.     

Morphological patterns in the skulls of cats

Measurements on the skull and dentition of 159 specimens of 22 species of recent felid were analysed using multivariate statistical methods (principal components analysis and correspondence analysis). The resulting patterns were considered in the light of recent work on the systematics of felids (large cats and small cats were clearly differentiated). Within each group there are subgroups. In the small cat group one subgroup was found to consist of the species Lynx lynx, L. rufus, L. pardina, L. canadensis and possibly Felis manul. Another subgroup consisted of the species F. bengalensis, F. rubiginosa, F. planiceps and F. viverrina. These two subgroups agree well with other work on felid systematics. Subgroups which do not agree so well with other work were also found, and the reasons for this are considered. Within the large cats there are two species, F. concolor and Neofelis nebulosa , which are clearly deviant from the norm. The reasons for this deviation are also considered.     

Does encephalization correlate with life history or metabolic rate in Carnivora?

A recent analysis of brain size evolution reconstructed the plesiomorphic brain–body size allometry for the mammalian order Carnivora, providing an important reference frame for comparative analyses of encephalization (brain volume scaled to body mass). I performed phylogenetically corrected regressions to remove the effects of body mass, calculating correlations between residual values of encephalization with basal metabolic rate (BMR) and six life-history variables (gestation time, neonatal mass, weaning time, weaning mass, litter size, litters per year). No significant correlations were recovered between encephalization and any life-history variable or BMR, arguing against hypotheses relating encephalization to maternal energetic investment. However, after correcting for clade-specific adaptations, I recovered significant correlations for several variables, and further analysis revealed a conserved carnivoran reproductive strategy, linking degree of encephalization to the well-documented mammalian life-history trade-off between neonatal mass and litter size. This strategy of fewer, larger offspring correlating with increased encephalization remains intact even after independent changes in encephalization allometries in the evolutionary history of this clade.