Fossil history of the panther (Puma concolor) and the cheetah-like cat (Miracinonyx inexpectatus) in Florida

Abstract

Fossils of the Florida panther or puma (Puma concolor) are reported from 15 late Pleistocene (Rancholabrean) sites and one Holocene archaeological site on the Florida peninsula (11 of these are unpublished records). This large cat was widely distributed in Florida during the late Pleistocene, from as far north as Columbia County near the Georgia state line, throughout the northern and central portions of the state, along both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and as far south as Dade County at the southernmost tip of the peninsula. P. concolor is unknown from late Pleistocene faunas in the Florida panhandle. The living Florida panther, P. concolor coryi, is now restricted to southernmost peninsular Florida in Glades, Hendry, Collier, and Dade counties, although it was fairly common father north along the central Atlantic coast until the late nineteenth century. All of the P. concolor fossils reported here compare closely in size and morphology to Recent skulls and postcranial skeletons of P. concolor from southern Florida. The associated mammalian faunas from the Florida sites containing P. concolor indicate that this species is restricted to the late Rancholabrean and Recent (between 130 ka and the present). The cheetah-like cat, or puma-like cat, Miracinonyx is identified from eight late Pliocene and Pleistocene sites in Florida, only two of which were published previously. M. inexpectatus occurs in four Florida late Pliocene and early Pleistocene sites, including the late Blancan Santa Fe River 2A and Northport faunas and the early Irvingtonian Inglis 1A and Leisey Shell Pit local faunas. Three associated metacarpals from the Rancholabrean Lecanto 2A local fauna are tentatively identified as M. inexpectatus, representing one of the youngest records of this species. Fossils identifiable only as Miracinonyx sp. are recorded from the late Irvingtonian Coleman 2A local fauna, from a Plio-Pleistocene locality in Port Charlotte and from the Pleistocene Cardinale site, an underwater fossil site in the Gulf of Mexico located 25 km offshore. Miracinonyx appears to be closely related to the genus Puma and is distinguished from P. concolor by its somewhat larger size and conspicuous elongation of the limbs and metapodials.