of snow leopard (panthera uncia) It is a large cat endemic to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and surrounding areas. How this apex predator gradually adapted to its extreme environment remains a mystery due to Tibet’s sparse fossil record. In a new study, scientists examined five records outside Tibet of the snow leopard lineage. Their findings suggest that snow leopards dispersed from the Tibetan Plateau multiple times during the Quaternary period. The anatomy of modern snow leopards shows adaptation to steep slopes and cold/high-altitude environments. The new results suggest that snow leopards gradually strengthened such adaptations, especially since the Middle Pleistocene (800,000 years ago).
We predicted the appropriate distribution and morphospace of extant and fossil snow leopards. Image credit: Jianhao Ye.
The snow leopard is one of the emblematic animals of the Tibetan Plateau and is also distributed in the mountainous regions of Central Asia as well as the Mongolian Plateau.
It has distinctive features that clearly distinguish it from other members of the genus, including long, dense fur, long tail, short face, steep, broad forehead, and large cheek teeth. pantera.
Snow leopards typically live in alpine regions above 3,000 meters above sea level or above the tree line, but can also be found much lower, below 1,000 meters in some areas of Siberia.
The snow leopard’s status on the IUCN Red List is: vulnerablethere are 4,000 individuals. However, as global warming progresses, their distribution is expected to shift northward or to higher altitudes, which will have a major impact.
“Although the unique characteristics of the snow leopard have long been recognized, the correlation between these characteristics and their adaptation to the environment of the Tibetan Plateau, as well as their evolutionary history, remains largely unknown,” said the institute’s researchers. said Dr. Qigao Jianzuo. Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Peking University, and colleagues.
“This gap in understanding is primarily due to the rarity of snow leopard fossils on the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding areas.”
In this study, researchers described snow leopard fossils collected from five archaeological sites in Longdan, Gansu Province, China; Arago in France. Zhoukoudian area 3, Beijing, China. Manga Larga, Portugal. Niuyan Cave, Mendougou, Beijing, China.
With the exception of the Uyan Cave fossil, which can be classified as a modern snow leopard, the others show significant differences compared to extant snow leopards.
Scientists concluded that the snow leopards found outside the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are not an independent lineage, but rather consist of smaller branches from the main snow leopard branch.
These branches may indicate multiple dispersions of snow leopards from Tibet at different times.
To study the evolution of key morphological characters, the authors conducted a systematic analysis of the functional morphology of modern snow leopards using anatomy, geometric morphometrics, and finite element analysis. carried out.
Their findings show that snow leopards have large eye sockets and highly developed binocular vision, and have advanced stereopsis that allows them to quickly focus on prey even in complex terrain. It suggests that.
“Snow leopards have short snouts and steeply angled jaws, with canine teeth characterized by an approximately circular cross-section,” the researchers said.
“This structure allows them to exert great force and subdue strong prey, but it can also reduce their flexibility.”
“Furthermore, the snow leopard’s well-developed frontal sinus system warms the air it breathes, increasing its respiratory efficiency, making it a well-adapted animal to cold, low-oxygen environments.”
“Additionally, snow leopards have a prominent tympanic sac, which increases their sensitivity to infrasound and allows them to detect prey sounds from greater distances in open areas.”
“Thanks to their large cheek teeth (i.e. premolars and molars), they are able to eat most of the meat of their prey before it freezes in cold environments.”
“Additionally, these teeth improve the snow leopard’s ability to chew on already frozen carcasses.”
“The snow leopard’s scapula and pelvis are relatively small, but the bones in its distal limbs are elongated.”
“This suggests that although their forelimb strength is low, they have high movement flexibility, making them suitable for running and jumping in mountainous areas.”
“Most of these traits represent adaptations to the mountainous environment and their primary prey, Caprinae (sheep and their relatives). Capriidae tend to be slower, but shorter and shorter. It has sturdy limbs and strong horns that provide excellent resistance.
“Only some of the snow leopard’s adaptations are related to high-altitude, low-oxygen conditions.”
The researchers also studied the functional form of the fossil snow leopard by correlating its various morphological features with its functions.
They discovered early snow leopards, including the early Pleistocene. pantera Ah. Pirenaica From Longtan and early Middle Pleistocene Panthera Pirenaica The Frenchman’s lower jaw was already steeply angled, but not yet shortened.
Additionally, their cheek teeth were not enlarged. This suggests an early adaptation to caprine prey. However, no significant specialization for cold environments was evident at this stage.
Fossils from later periods such as the late Middle Pleistocene pantera Ah. anthea Zhoukoudian locality 3 and from the late Pleistocene Panthera Uncia Lusitanawas found to be very similar to modern snow leopards and exhibit comparable adaptations.
However, certain characteristics, such as the development of the ectotympanic cavity and the degree of forehead enlargement, were generally less pronounced in Europeans. Panthera Uncia Lusitana Compare it to the modern snow leopard.
“Bayesian analysis of the rate of morphological evolution indicates that snow leopards began to change rapidly during the Middle Pleistocene,” the authors said.
“This period coincides with the appearance of large ice sheets on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.”
“Since the Middle Pleistocene, global climate change has increased, resulting in more severe and prolonged ice ages.”
“These conditions have allowed the snow leopard to expand its range beyond the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.”
“Notably, the Middle Pleistocene was also the time when many members of the Capriinae began to migrate from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau to northern China and Europe, paralleling the migration of snow leopards from the plateau.”
To determine whether fossil snow leopards have similar ecological adaptations to modern snow leopards, researchers analyzed the relationship between the distribution of modern snow leopards and climate data.
They took a random forest approach and trained a model known as species distribution modeling to predict how snow leopards would adapt based on climate conditions.
They then applied climate data from the Last Glacial Maximum to assess the potential maximum distribution of extant snow leopards during that period.
“This result indicates that the potential suitable distribution of snow leopards during the Last Glacial Maximum was significantly larger than it is today,” the scientists said.
“However, regions such as Europe and Beijing were outside of areas considered suitable for distribution.”
“This suggests that fossil snow leopards may have developed different ecological adaptations than modern snow leopards.”
“Therefore, the distribution of fossil snow leopards cannot be fully predicted using modern snow leopard models.”
“Furthermore, it should be noted that these fossil remains are generally located at relatively low altitudes (below 500 meters), but in mountainous environments, and usually contain fossils of the family Caprinae.” It’s important.”
“The only exception is archaeological sites in Portugal, where there are no animal records. This observation suggests that mountainous terrain and associated prey availability may be more important for snow leopards than high altitude, low oxygen conditions. This suggests that there is a possibility that
“Uuyan Cave is the only known place in the world that contains both snow leopard and leopard fossils.”
“We know that today’s snow leopards sometimes share habitat in transition zones near tree lines, so the Niuyang Cave discovery suggests that similar environmental conditions existed there when the fossils were deposited. It suggests possibility.”
“Tracing the evolutionary history and functional-morphological adaptations of the snow leopard, an important target for ecological conservation on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, by integrating paleontology, molecular biology, finite element analysis, and species distribution modeling. I was able to do that.”
“Our findings reveal the evolutionary path of snow leopards and suggest that mountainous terrain may have played a more important role in their survival than climate factors alone.”
These insights are important for ongoing snow leopard conservation efforts and also demonstrate the utility of paleontological conservation.
Dr João Madurell Malapeira said: “Our analysis shows that altitude and snow are definitely not the limiting factors for the distribution of this species, but rather the presence of open and steep spaces. I have come to the conclusion that this may be the case.” Researchers at the University of Florence and the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
“In other words, snow leopards have always adapted to life in the mountains, but they don’t necessarily have to live at high altitude or in places with snow.”
“And this is an encouragement to ensure their survival in climate change conditions like the current one.”
team’s paper Published in a magazine scientific progress.
_____
Qigao Jiangzuo others. 2025. Insights into the evolution and adaptation to high altitude and cold environments in the snow leopard lineage. scientific progress 11(3);doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adp5243
