The evolutionary history of extinct and living lions

Abstract

Lions were once the most globally widespread mammal species, with distinct populations in Africa, Eurasia, and America. We generated a genomic dataset that included 2 extinct Pleistocene cave lions, 12 lions from historically extinct populations in Africa and the Middle East, and 6 modern lions from Africa and India. Our analyses show the Pleistocene cave lion as maximally distinct with no evidence of hybridization with other lion groups based on the level of population structure and admixture. We also confirm long-term divisions between other extant lion populations and assess genetic diversity within individual samples. Our work provides views on the complex nature of the global lion species-complex and its evolution and provides conservation data for modern lion regional populations.