Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Program
Geosciences
Date of Award
5-2023
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Blaine Schubert
Committee Members
Steven Wallace, Josh Samuels
Abstract
In this study, three new reports of large felids from the Pleistocene are presented and discussed. A single partial left dentary from Jawbone Cave represents the first confirmed presence of S. fatalis in east Tennessee and was sampled for radiocarbon dating. Wind Tunnel and Chilly Bowl Cave are among the first records of P. onca to be identified confidently from Arkansas. Chilly Bowl Cave also produced two trackways attributable to Panthera sp., one set potentially belonging to P. atrox. In addition to the description of these remains and the caves they were found in, taxonomic histories for both S. fatalis and P. onca are explored to explain the choice of name used for each felid. Regional reviews of material of each taxon are also presented.
Document Type
Thesis - embargo
Recommended Citation
Bushell, Matthew, "New Reports of Smilodon and Panthera from North American Cave Sites with Reviews of Taxonomy, Biogeography, and History" (2023). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4197. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4197
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.