Cenozoic Reference Libraries

Commonly known as the Eurasian cave lion or the European cave lion, Panthera leo spelaea is an extinct subspecies of lion. It is thought to have lived during the Pleistocene epoch, and may have lived in the Balkans in southeastern Europe until 2,000 years ago. The range of this cave lion would have included northwestern North America, Asia, and areas of Europe and would have extended from...

Miracinonyx, commonly known as the American Cheetah, is an extinct genus of large cats. It was native to North America during the Pleiotocene era(1.8 million to 11,000 years ago). The American cheetah held at least two species in its genus that are similar to modern cheetahs, including Miracinonyx inexpectatus and M. trumani. Similarities distinguished by bone fragments include a short face and...

The Paramyladon, an extinct genus of ground sloth, was native to North America. It lived from the Pliocene era to the Pleistocene era, a period of about 4.889 years. Remains of this creature have been found as far south as Guatemala, throughout North America, and even as far north as Alberta, Canada. Paramyladon has been easily mistaken with another ground sloth called Glossotherium, due to...

Megalonyx, meaning “Great claw,” is an extinct genus of giant ground sloths in the family Megalonychidae. The genus was endemic to North America from the Hemphillian stage of the Late Miocene to the Rancholabrean stage of the Pleistocene epoch (10.3 million to 11,000 years ago). The species, M. leptostomus, was named in 1893. It lived from Florida to Texas, north to Kansas and Nebraska,...

Holmesina is an extinct genus of pampathere, a group of armadillo-like mammals that were distantly related to modern armadillos. Fossils of members of this genus have been found mainly in Texas and Florida. Members of this genus often traveled north in the faunal interchange and were well adapted to the North American climate, like the ground sloths, glyptodonts, armadillos and other South...

Glyptotherium is an extinct genus of mammal related to the armadillo. Glyptodontids lived about 4.1 to 1.5 million years ago. It is believed this genus was wiped out by climate change or perhaps early human interference, although there is no direct evidence of humans preying on them. Species of this genus thrived in tropical and subtropical regions of Florida, South Carolina, Texas, and...