Panthera pardus ( Linnaeus, 1758 )

O’Regan, Hannah J. & Steininger, Christine, 2017, Felidae from Cooper’s Cave, South Africa (Mammalia: Carnivora), Geodiversitas 39 (2), pp. 315-332 : 326

cf. Panthera pardus ( Linnaeus, 1758)

(Leopard)

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Craniodental. CD 701, left Ci; CD 16744, I2; CD 9602, I3; CD 6210, I3; CD 3691, posterior portion of cranium ( Table 1). Postcranial: CD 6672 + CD 6673, refitting fragments of a right distal femoral epiphysis; CD 2053, left distal femoral epiphysis; CD 5996, humerus, proximal diaphysis only.

DIAGNOSIS AND DISCUSSION

These specimens are all leopard-sized. CD 701 is the enamel cap of a lower canine, there is no dentine infill and the crown is completely unworn, indicating it was unerupted. The crown is unkeeled (so it is not Dinofelis ) and has one lingual groove near the tip, but it is small in comparison with modern leopards. CD 16744 is a small and heavily worn left I2 with pyrolusite encrustation. CD 6210 is a broken and worn right I3 with pyrolusite encrustation. The crown is strongly curved with a clear internal cingulum. CD 9602 is a large left I3 with a possible accessory cusp. It is slightly narrower medio-laterally than a modern leopard (AZ 420) and also lacks the internal cingulum. CD 3691 is the posterior portion of a cranium, with both auditory bullae, both occipital condyles, and a small portion of the sagittal crest. CD 6672 and CD 6673 are refitting fragments of a right distal femoral epiphysis. They are the same size and morphology as CD 2053, a left distal femoral epiphysis, suggesting that they may be antimeres. They are good, but not exact, matches for Panthera pardus , however there were no distal Megantereon femora available to compare them with. CD 5996 is a humeral diaphysis in three pieces, it is entirely unfused and is a good match for a male leopard of similar age (AZ 420), however the medial ridge appears much more pronounced in the modern specimen.