The Pleistocene Felidae of Florida

Abstract

The Pleistocene deposits that have yielded fossil remains of Felidae in Florida may be separated roughly into two age groups, an early fauna probably dating from the Illinoian or early Sangamon or both, and a late fauna mainly of Wisconsin date. Seven species of Felidae have been identified in these faunas: Felis atrox, the extinct giant jaguar, has been found at only two sites in northern Florida, probably of Wisconsin date. Felis onca, the jaguar, is plentiful in both faunas and has been identified at a number of sites. The fossil form (Felis onca augusta) is larger than the living jaguar. Its various distinctive characters in relative proportions are simply functional or allometric byproducts of larger size. By the Late Pleistocene it became somewhat smaller and relatively less plentiful. Felis concolor, the puma, occurs in both faunas but is known from only three sites. The Pleistocene puma appears to be identical with the living form. Felis rufus, the bobcat, is relatively scarce in the early fauna but is the dominant species numerically in the late fauna. The earliest (Illinoian?) form is distinguished by its large size, and is described as Felis rufus koakudsi, new subspecies . This subspecies was later replaced by the modern subspecies, Felis rufus floridanus. Felis pardalis, the ocelot, is recorded at two sites, both of early date. Felis yagouaroundi, the jaguarundi, has been found at three sites, all probably dating from the Wisconsin. Smilodon fatalis, the sabertooth, has been found in several sites, and is more common in the early than in the late faunas. The Florida form is less advanced than the late Wisconsin sabertooth of Rancho La Brea, and Smilodon floridanus is relegated to the synonymy of Smilodon fatalia. The size of Smilodon gradually increased during the Middle and Late Pleistocene. A very small specimen in the highly heterochronic fossil assemblage of the Santa Fe River may represent an early stage in this sequence, possibly the species Smilodon gracilis.