Jiangzuo, Q., Yamaguchi, N., Madurell-Malapeira, J., Ning, J., Wang, Y., Hu, H., Ma, H., Jia, Y., Zhang, L., Li, Y., Sun, Z., Niu, K., Yudin, V.G., Li, S., Guo, D., Ma, J., Liu, J., Wang, S. and Deng, T.
Papers in Palaeontology 2026; 12(5)
This study presents the first comprehensive overview of tiger (Panthera tigris) evolution throughout its entire temporal range, from its Early Pleistocene origins (c. 2.5 Ma) to the present. By integrating morphological, functional and palaeobiogeographical data from across mainland Asia, we identify Panthera palaeosinensis as the most likely ancestral form of P. tigris. The earliest putative record of the latter dates to c. 1.3 Ma, followed by the appearance of archaic subspecies P. t. lui (c. 1 Ma) and the dwarf form P. t. palaeobeijingensis (c. 0.75 Ma). Morphological trends indicate progressive adaptations for predation on large prey and rapid killing of medium-sized prey, coupled with reduced durophagy specializations paralleling those of sabertoothed cats. Body mass reconstructions indicate a general size increase through time, strongly influenced by climate oscillations after the Early–Middle Pleistocene Transition and by the extinction of major competitors. These results provide the first full evolutionary framework for the tiger lineage, highlighting the role of environmental instability in shaping its morphology, size and distribution.
