A review on Pyrenean Pleistocene leopards paleoecology, paleobiogeography and adaptative convergences with snow leopards

In this study, we review and analyze one of the most scarcely recorded carnivorans of the European Quaternary, the leopard (Panthera pardus), focusing on its presence in the Pyrenean Mountain range. Our data reveal a progressive increase in both the number of records and the body mass of leopards throughout the Pleistocene, beginning with the earliest specimens from the Early Pleistocene. Our analysis also demonstrated reduced sexual dimorphism compared to modern leopards, as well as a preference for mountain environments. Additionally, we identified several cranial and post-cranial anatomical convergences with snow leopards, which were also sporadically recorded in Europe. These convergences, discussed in detail, may be the result of interspecific competition, environmental pressures, or habitat preferences.