When you think of great animal debates, you mind probably wanders to topics like “would a tiger or lion win in a fight” long before you think about about taxonomy debates. Yet, with lions, there has been a great taxonomy debate that has actually changed the types of lions we recognize! How many types of lions exist today? It might surprise you to learn that it’s been the subject of significant debate in the scientific community.
In the article below we’ll dig into this scientific debate, review both extinct and current lion species, and review their lower classifications. Let’s dig in! Scientists have long agreed there is a single species of lions in the world today. Its scientific name is Panthera leo. Additionally, there are seven lion subspecies derive. Some lion species became extinct thousands of years ago, while others have faded out due to humans. Additionally, it’s important to note that many surviving species of lions are in danger of extinction.
However, until 2016, there were two different types (subspecies) of lions. One was the African lion (Panthera leo leo) and the other was the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica). The difference between the two was simple enough to describe, African lions lived in Africa while Asiatic lions live in Asia. However, in 2017 the taxonomy of lions was changed in a fairly dramatic way. In 2017 cat taxonomy task force changed the definition around the types of lions. No longer were lions simply African or Asiatic lions. Instead, there are now two types of lions recognized today. The dividing line between the two types of lions is Ethiopia and South Sudan. In these areas the two types of lions will often mate and intermix, making distinctions between them difficult.
For the convenience of the reader, there are 2 accepted lion sub-species - Panthera leo persica (Asian/Asiatic/South Asian lion) and the African lion (P. leo leo). These have differences in anatomy. The European lion (P. l. europaea) is now extinct.
Sub-Saharan African lions are genetically and anatomically similar enough to be considered a single subspecies, but differences in size, mane, colour and behaviour has led to localised populations being considered subspecies by some taxonomists.
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FIVE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AFRICAN AND ASIATIC LIONS
Extinct Lion Subspecies
In the past 200 years several types of lions were believed to be either unique species or subspecies.
Cave Lion (Panthera spelaea)
The cave lion hunted from Europe across to Alaska on the Eurasian steppe. The species went extinct around 12,000 years ago when other species such as mammoths and Woolly rhinoceroses. Researchers that studied cave lion skeletons estimate they would have weighed up to 747 pounds, which makes them larger than the largest lion on record today.
American Lion (Panthera atrox)
The American lion lived across modern day Mexico and the United States. The species went extinct at roughly the same time as the cave lion, about 12,000 years ago. American lions were notable for their size, estimates place their weight up to 930 pounds! That makes American lions the largest lion species on record.
Barbary Lion (Panthera leo leo)
Barbary lions lived in North Africa and were long considered a subspecies of lion. They’re also referred to as Nubian lions, atlas lions, and Berber lions. Barbary lions were actively hunted across their range and the last reported sighting was in 1956. DNA analysis has led to the conclusion Barbary lions were not a distinct subspecies. The Barbary lion lived in the mountains and deserts of the Maghreb of North Africa from Morocco to Egypt.
Historical sighting and hunting records from the 19th and 20th centuries show that the Barbary lion survived in Algeria until the early 1960s, and in Morocco until the mid-1960s. It inhabited Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub. The westernmost sighting of a Barbary lion reportedly occurred in the Anti-Atlas in western Morocco. In Algeria, the Barbary lion was sighted in the forested hills and mountains between Ouarsenis in the west to the Chelif River plains in the north and the Pic de Taza in the east. In Libya, the Barbary lion persisted along the coast until the beginning of the 18th century, and was extirpated in Tunisia by 1890.
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By the mid-19th century, the Barbary lion population had massively declined, since bounties were paid for shooting lions. The last recorded shooting of a wild Barbary lion took place in 1942 near Tizi n'Tichka in the Moroccan part of the Atlas Mountains. In the early 20th century, when Barbary lions were rare, they were sighted in pairs or in small family groups comprising a male and female lion with one or two cubs.
Between 1839 and 1942, sightings of wild lions involved solitary animals, pairs and family units. Analysis of these sightings indicate that lions retained living in prides even when under increasing persecution, particularly in the eastern Maghreb. Sympatric predators in this region included the African leopard (P. pardus pardus) and the Atlas bear (Ursus arctos crowtheri).
The lions kept in the menagerie at the Tower of London in the Middle Ages were Barbary lions, as shown by DNA testing on two well-preserved skulls excavated at the Tower in 1936 and 1937. In the 19th century and the early 20th century, lions were often kept in hotels and circus menageries. The lions in the Rabat Zoo exhibited characteristics thought typical for the Barbary lion.
Nobles and Berber people presented lions as gifts to the royal family of Morocco. When the family was forced into exile in 1953, the lions in Rabat, numbering 21 altogether, were transferred to two zoos in the region. Three of these were shifted to a zoo in Casablanca, with the rest being shifted to Meknès. The lions at Meknès were moved back to the palace in 1955, but those at Casablanca never came back. Five lion samples from this collection were not Barbary lions maternally.
Nonetheless, genes of the Barbary lion are likely to be present in common European zoo lions, since this was one of the most frequently introduced subspecies. At the beginning of the 21st century, the Addis Ababa Zoo kept 16 adult lions. With their dark, brown manes extending through the front legs, they looked like Barbary or Cape lions. The lion also appeared frequently in early Egyptian art and literature.
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Statues and statuettes of lions found at Hierakonpolis and Koptos in Upper Egypt date to the Early Dynastic Period. The early Egyptian deity Mehit was depicted with a lion head. In Ancient Egypt, the lion-headed deity Sekhmet was venerated as protector of the country. She represented destructive power, but was also regarded as protector against famine and disease.
Lion-headed figures and amulets were excavated in tombs in the Aegean islands of Crete, Euboea, Rhodes, Paros and Chios. The Barbary lion is a symbol in Nubian culture and was often depicted in art and architecture.
Until 2017, the Barbary lion was considered a distinct lion subspecies. Results of morphological and genetic analyses of lion samples from North Africa showed that the Barbary lion does not differ significantly from the Asiatic lion and falls into the same subclade.
Barbary lion zoological specimens range in colour from light to dark tawny. Head-to-tail length of stuffed males in zoological collections varies from 2.35 to 2.8 m (7 ft 9 in to 9 ft 2 in), and of females around 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in). Skull size varied from 30.85 to 37.23 cm (1 ft 0.15 in to 1 ft 2.66 in). Some manes extended over the shoulder and under the belly to the elbows.
In 19th-century hunter accounts, the Barbary lion was claimed to be the largest lion, with a weight of wild males ranging from 270 to 300 kg (600 to 660 lb). Yet, the accuracy of such data measured in the field is questionable. The colour and size of lions' manes was long thought to be a sufficiently distinct morphological characteristic to accord a subspecific status to lion populations.
Mane development varies with age and between individuals from different regions, and is therefore not a sufficient characteristic for subspecific identification. The size of manes is not regarded as evidence for Barbary lions' ancestry. Instead, results of mitochondrial DNA research support the genetic distinctness of Barbary lions in a unique haplotype found in museum specimens that is thought to be of Barbary lion descent.
In 1939, Glover Morrill Allen considered F. l. barbaricus and nubicus synonymous with F. l. leo. In 1951, John Ellerman and Terence Morrison-Scott recognized only two lion subspecies in the Palearctic realm, namely the African lion Panthera leo leo and the Asiatic lion P. l. persica. Some authors considered P. l. nubicus a valid subspecies and synonymous with P. l. leo. In 2005, P. l. barbarica, nubica and somaliensis were subsumed under P. l. leo. In 2016, IUCN Red List assessors used P. l. leo for lion populations in Africa and Asia.
In 2017, the Cat Classification Task Force of the Cat Specialist Group subsumed the lion populations in North, West and Central Africa and Asia to P. l. leo. Results of a phylogeographic analysis using samples from African and Asiatic lions was published in 2006. One of the African samples was a vertebra from the National Museum of Natural History (France) that originated in the Nubian part of Sudan. In a comprehensive study about the evolution of lions in 2008, 357 samples of wild and captive lions from Africa and India were examined.
Results showed that four captive lions from Morocco did not exhibit any unique genetic characteristic, but shared mitochondrial haplotypes with lion samples from West and Central Africa. They were all part of a major mtDNA grouping that also included Asiatic lion samples. Results provided evidence for the hypothesis that this group developed in East Africa, and about 118,000 years ago traveled north and west in the first wave of lion expansion. It broke up within Africa, and later in West Asia.
Lions in Africa probably constitute a single population that interbred during several waves of migration since the Late Pleistocene. Genome-wide data of a wild-born historical lion specimen from Sudan clustered with P. l. leo in mtDNA-based phylogenies, but with a high affinity to P. l. melanochaita.
As noted earlier, just a single lion species (Panthera leo) survives today. While lions are limited to small patches of savannas across Africa and a single national park in India today, tens of thousands of years ago they roamed the majority of land on Earth! Reading about lions you might see references to types of lions such as the transvaal lion, Congo lion, or West African lion. These are often called subspecies of lions. From a classification standpoint, this is incorrect.
References to these lions are what’s referred to as subpopulations or clades. The correct lower classification for lions is Panthera leo leo for lions in West Africa, Central Africa, North Africa, and Asian subpopulations. The other type of lion is Panthera leo melanochaita , which is lions from Southwest Africa and Eastern and Southern Africa subpopulations.
The family lions belong to is Felidae, or cats. There are 41 species across this family that includes tigers, mountain lions, and bobcats. Lions belong to the genus Panthera. The genus includes tigers, leopards, jaguars, and snow leopards. Other large cats such as mountain lions and cheetahs are not part of Panthera, but rather belong to a different subfamily than lions.
Let's examine the similarities and differences between them. African vs. Asiatic lions have distinct differences in habitat, choice of prey, and social structure. African vs. Asiatic lions tend to live in smaller groups than African lions. While both types of lions closely resemble each other, there are distinct differences in terms of size, habitat, behavior, and appearance.
So, in this article, we will focus on the differences between African lions vs. the Asiatic lions that inhabit India. Within the lion species Panthera leo, there are two subspecies. The Northern lions (Panthera leo leo) are found in West Africa, Central Africa, and India. The Southern lions (Panthera leo melanochaita) are found in East Africa and South Africa. While Asiatic lions used to be a separate subspecies, in 2017, it was determined that Asiatic lions belonged to the subspecies Panthera leo leo.
Comparison of African and Asiatic Lions
Habitat
African lions are native to the savannas and grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa. Northern lions inhabit West and Central Africa, while Southern lions inhabit East and South Africa. These magnificent big cats thrive in open habitats with access to water, plenty of grasses, and bushes to hide in.
Asiatic lions have an extremely restricted habitat, primarily in the Gir Forest National Park and surrounding areas in the Indian state of Gujarat. The park’s terrain is a mixture of dry deciduous forest and savanna grasslands, providing an ideal habitat for these big cats. In recent years, their range has expanded beyond Gir Forest, with some lions now found in other parts of Gujarat, including coastal regions and Diu Island.
Prey
African lions are known for their impressive hunting abilities and their tendency to go after larger prey. In their native habitats of sub-Saharan Africa, these big cats hunt and scavenge for wildebeests, zebras, and buffalo. The African lion’s prey ranges in weight from 600 to 2,000 pounds, with buffalo being one of their favorite meals.
Asiatic lions have specific hunting styles due to their location. Since they can only be found in one national park, they have a smaller range of prey to choose from. The most common prey for Asiatic lions is chital deer, which weigh only about 110 pounds. Asiatic lions have also been known to eat wild boar and antelope. Female Asiatic lions are also the primary hunters.
Social Structure
On the other hand, African lions have a unique social structure centered around the pride. A “pride” refers to a group of lions that live and hunt together, and it is typically composed of females. Prides are guarded by at least one male, who is responsible for safeguarding the females and fending off any potential dangers.
Asiatic lions have a distinct approach to socializing. As opposed to the pride structure of African lions, male Asiatic lions tend to move about in smaller, solitary pairs. They only join forces with females during mating or when working together to hunt larger prey.
Physical Appearance
A male lion’s most distinguishing feature is his mane. Asiatic and African lions have a number of differences in their physical appearances. Not only are they different sizes, they also have distinct manes, stomach shapes, tail tufts, and head shapes. Let’s take a closer look at each of these differences in more detail.
Size: While both lion types are imposing, African lions are the larger of the two subspecies. Males can weigh anywhere from 330-550 pounds. Females weigh an average of 345 pounds. Males stand nearly 4 feet tall, while females are 3-3.5 feet at the shoulder. The largest African lion ever recorded weighed a massive 826 pounds, measured 3.6 feet tall, and was said to reach 11 feet in length.
Despite their smaller size, Asiatic lions are still impressive. Males weigh a sturdy 350-450 pounds, while females weigh between 240-360 pounds. They stand at a shoulder height of 3.5-4 feet for males and 2.6-3.5 feet for females. The average length of these lions is 5.57 to 8.2 feet for males and 4.6 to 5.74 feet for females.
Mane: A lion’s mane is its most recognizable feature, and the African and Asiatic lions have distinctively different manes. African lions have a fuller, longer, more prominent mane that covers their entire heads and cascades down their shoulders. The color of an African lion’s mane can range from light tawny to black.
Asiatic lion manes are much sparser, darker, and less developed compared to the mane of African lions. It’s also usually shorter, leaving the Asiatic lion’s ears more visible.
Skin Folds: African lions do not have primordial pouches like Asiatic lions. African lions do not have skin flaps of fatty tissue on their abdomens, referred to as a primordial pouch. Many domestic house cats have a primordial pouch. Asiatic lions do have this striking longitudinal fold of skin under their bellies that runs the length of their bodies. These skin folds are believed to offer an additional layer of underbelly protection for this subspecies.
Elbow and Tail Tuft: African lions have minimal tufts of hair on their elbows and tails. This gives them a more streamlined appearance and places greater emphasis on their manes. Asiatic lions have more pronounced and flamboyant tufts of hair on their tails and elbows. These tufts of hair can extend a few inches from the joint. The tail tuft of an Asiatic lion is particularly striking, covering a large area and adding to the lion’s silhouette.
Skull: African lions have only a single infraorbital foramen, unlike their Asiatic counterparts. Their skulls are wider than Asiatic lions and measure an average of 10-11 inches in width and 14.5-15 inches in length. Male lions of both species have wider and longer skulls than females.
Asiatic lions possess remarkable characteristics in their skull structure: bifurcated infraorbital foramina. These tiny openings in the skull ensure the smooth flow of blood and protect the nerves of the eyes. Their heads are traditionally narrower than African lions, measuring 9-10 inches in width and 13-13.5 inches in length.
| Feature | African Lion | Asiatic Lion |
|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Sub-Saharan Africa | Gir Forest National Park, India |
| Prey | Wildebeests, zebras, buffalo | Chital deer, wild boar, antelope |
| Size | Males: 330-550 lbs Females: 345 lbs | Males: 350-450 lbs Females: 240-360 lbs |
| Mane | Fuller, longer, more prominent | Sparser, darker, less developed |
| Skin Folds | Absent | Present |
| Elbow and Tail Tuft | Minimal | Pronounced |
| Skull | Single infraorbital foramen | Bifurcated infraorbital foramina |
Asiatic and African lions have more similarities than differences. However, the more closely you observe these two subspecies, the more distinctions you see. Appearance and habitat are the most readily obvious differences.
While the African lion is larger and better known, and has a larger population than the Asiatic lion, its population is similarly threatened. The Asiatic lion population remains vulnerable, with recent estimates indicating there are less than 1,000 individuals. However, there has been a steady increase over the past decade. Unfortunately, their narrow habitat in one region of India makes it very challenging to protect this incredible species.
