Systematics and phylogeny of the small felines (Carnivora, Felidae) from the Late Miocene of Europe: a new species of Felinae from the Vallesian of Batallones (MN 10, Madrid, Spain)

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The Spanish fossil localities of Batallones-1 and Batallones-3 are two Vallesian (Late Miocene) natural traps known for their high concentration of carnivoran mammals. These include amphicyonids, ailurids, mustelids, ursids, hyaenids, machairodont felids, and two species of small-bodied felines, one the size of an European wildcat, Felis sylvestris, and the other the size of a caracal, Caracal caracal. Although these felines are much less abundant at the sites than their larger relatives, the sabre-toothed felids, the available samples from Batallones-1 and Batallones-3 are rich; they include postcranial elements, skulls and mandibles of the smaller species, while the larger feline species is solely known from postcranial elements recorded at Batallones-1. The small feline from Batallones-1 and Batallones-3, although showing similarities with the Turolian felines, is more related to the Middle Miocene genus Styriofelis Kretzoi, 1929 Kostopoulos, D. S. 2009. The Pikermian Event: Temporal and spatial resolution of the Turolian large mammal fauna in SE Europe. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 274: 82–95. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], and thus we propose for it the new species name Styriofelis vallesiensis. On the other hand, the new generic name Pristifelis is proposed for the species Felis attica, which shows important differences with extant Felis.