Megantereon (Carnivora, Felidae) in the late Early Pleistocene in China and its implications for paleobiogeography

Specimens of the genus Megantereon from younger strata (late Early Pleistocene to Middle Pleistocene) in China are reviewed in the presented work. The specimens found in Linyi, Shanxi Province, which were previously identified as Megantereon nihowanensis, have been reexamined and their identity has been revised to be Megantereon inexpectatus. With respect to the new specimens of M. inexpectatus found in the Jinyuan Cave, Dalian, Liaoning Province, the identification of the mandible specimen from the Gongwangling Homo site, which was named as a new species, Megantereon lantianensis, has been revised to M. inexpectatus. Known records of M. inexpectatus have been reported in Linyi, Shanxi, and Lantian, Shaanxi Province, in older deposits from the late Early Pleistocene, and younger deposits from the Middle Pleistocene in Zhoukoudian, Beijing. In morphological comparisons and phylogenetic discussions, the best candidate origin of M. inexpectatus is Africa, where a relatively advanced lineage gave rise to M. inexpectatus and its relative Megantereon whitei. A significant dispersal event of M. inexpectatus occurred during the late Early Pleistocene, represented by the immigration of M. whitei from Africa to Europe and the occurrence of M. inexpectatus in Asia. There is no evidence indicating that this biotic event was initiated by environmental change, with survival pressure from hominins likely to have been the main factor that forced Megantereon to migrate into Eurasia.