Leptofelis

Leptofelis Temporal range:
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Felidae
Genus:	†Leptofelis Salesa et al., 2017,
Species
†L. vallesiensis ( Salesa et al., 2012) (type)

Leptofelis (meaning "swift cat") is a genus of feline cat from the Miocene (Vallesian) deposits of Cerro de los Batallones, in Spain. A small species known from a jaw, front limb and associate hindlimb, hip, and lumbar vertebrae, Leptofelis has characteristics intermediate between more primitive species and more advanced modern felines.

Description

Leptofelis is known from incomplete skeletal remains, consisting of a lower jaw mandible, left front limb (radius, ulna and humerus), metacarpals for the left front paw, four lumbar vertebrae, left hind limb (femur and tibia), os coxae, talus, calcaneus, and sacrum. The genus was once considered to belong to the genus Styriofelis, but skeletal morphology and cladistic analysis have revealed the former to be distinct. Its legs are long and slender, indicating that it was predominantly cursorial, though examination of its bones indicate it also was a better climber than most modern felids of similar size. Its body mass is estimated to be between 7.21–9.02 kg (15.9–19.9 lb). The metacarpals are more robust than most cursorial cats, while being more gracile than more arboreal cats. The vertebrae share many characteristics with such modern cat species as the lynx, caracal, serval and other cats. Furthermore, its adaptations towards a cursorial lifestyle show that the lifestyle of ground-living cat species evolved several times over in convergent evolution.

Paleobiology

Leptofelis was likely similar in behavior to the modern serval or caracal. Both modern cats are hunters of small prey, with a preference for hunting on the ground. Given the highly variable environment in which it lived, Leptofelis may also have climbed both to escape larger predators and pursue small prey up into trees. Such prey items that it would have hunted would have included rodents and small birds, which it would have hunted by ambush.

Paleoecology

Leptofelis seemed to prefer open woodland habitat, as evidenced by finds at Cerro de los Batallones. As a predator at Batallones, it would have hunted small rodents, birds and other easily subdued animals. This cat was contemporaneous with such herbivores as horses like Hipparion, the hornless rhinoceros Aceratherium, the gomphotherid mastodon Tetralophodon, the suid Microstonyx, silvatherid giraffes and boselaphine antelope. Leptofelis was also contemporary with the Amphicyonid Magericyon, machairodonts Machairodus Promegantereon and Paramachairodus, the bear Indarctos, and the small hyenid Protictitherium. All these carnivores were competition and with smaller animals like Protictitherium, it would have competed directly against it. The larger carnivores were avoided, either by escaping up trees or through evasion and stealth. The environment of Batallones was a highly variable habitat, with scattered vegetation throughout open areas of grassland. These areas would provide both the necessary protection and ambush sites necessary to hunt successfully.