NDLI: Oldest Known Pantherine Skull and Evolution of the Tiger

Content Provider	PubMed Central
Author	Mazák, Ji H. Christiansen, Per Kitchener, Andrew C.
Editor	Goswami, Anjali
Copyright Year	2011
Abstract	The tiger is one of the most iconic extant animals, and its origin and evolution have been intensely debated. Fossils attributable to extant pantherine species-lineages are less than 2 MYA and the earliest tiger fossils are from the Calabrian, Lower Pleistocene. Molecular studies predict a much younger age for the divergence of modern tiger subspecies at <100 KYA, although their cranial morphology is readily distinguishable, indicating that early Pleistocene tigers would likely have differed markedly anatomically from extant tigers. Such inferences are hampered by the fact that well-known fossil tiger material is middle to late Pleistocene in age. Here we describe a new species of pantherine cat from Longdan, Gansu Province, China, Panthera zdanskyi sp. nov. With an estimated age of 2.55–2.16 MYA it represents the oldest complete skull of a pantherine cat hitherto found. Although smaller, it appears morphologically to be surprisingly similar to modern tigers considering its age. Morphological, morphometric, and cladistic analyses are congruent in confirming its very close affinity to the tiger, and it may be regarded as the most primitive species of the tiger lineage, demonstrating the first unequivocal presence of a modern pantherine species-lineage in the basal stage of the Pleistocene (Gelasian; traditionally considered to be Late Pliocene). This find supports a north-central Chinese origin of the tiger lineage, and demonstrates that various parts of the cranium, mandible, and dentition evolved at different rates. An increase in size and a reduction in the relative size of parts of the dentition appear to have been prominent features of tiger evolution, whereas the distinctive cranial morphology of modern tigers was established very early in their evolutionary history. The evolutionary trend of increasing size in the tiger lineage is likely coupled to the evolution of its primary prey species.
Related Links	http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0025483
Starting Page	25483
File Format	PDF
ISSN	19326203
e-ISSN	19326203
Journal	PLoS ONE
Issue Number	10
Volume Number	6
Language	English
Publisher	Public Library of Science
Publisher Date	2011-10-10
Access Restriction	Open
Rights Holder	Public Library of Science
Subject Keyword	Research in Higher Education
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Multidisciplinary

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

Oldest Known Pantherine Skull and Evolution of the Tiger

Correction: Oldest Known Pantherine Skull and Evolution of the Tiger

Himalayan fossils of the oldest known pantherine establish ancient origin of big cats.

Olenid trilobites: The oldest known chemoautotrophic symbionts?

OCEAN BOTTOM PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE AREA OF THE OLDEST KNOWN OUTCROPS, NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN *

The oldest known communal latrines provide evidence of gregarism in Triassic megaherbivores

Oldest known euarchontan tarsals and affinities of Paleocene Purgatorius to Primates

Oldest known dinosaurian nesting site and reproductive biology of the Early Jurassic sauropodomorph Massospondylus

Himalayan fossils of the oldest known pantherine establish ancient origin of big cats

Oldest Known Pantherine Skull and Evolution of the Tiger

Similar Documents

Oldest Known Pantherine Skull and Evolution of the Tiger

Correction: Oldest Known Pantherine Skull and Evolution of the Tiger

Himalayan fossils of the oldest known pantherine establish ancient origin of big cats.

Olenid trilobites: The oldest known chemoautotrophic symbionts?

OCEAN BOTTOM PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE AREA OF THE OLDEST KNOWN OUTCROPS, NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN *

The oldest known communal latrines provide evidence of gregarism in Triassic megaherbivores

Oldest known euarchontan tarsals and affinities of Paleocene Purgatorius to Primates

Oldest known dinosaurian nesting site and reproductive biology of the Early Jurassic sauropodomorph Massospondylus

Himalayan fossils of the oldest known pantherine establish ancient origin of big cats

Oldest Known Pantherine Skull and Evolution of the Tiger