FIRST DESCRIPTION OF THE FUR OF TWO CUBS OF FOSSIL CAVE LION Panthera spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810) FOUND IN YAKUTIA IN 2017 AND 2018
The first description of the well-preserved fur of two cubs of different sexes of the fossil cave lion Panthera spelaea (finds 2017–2018, the Semyuelyakh River, Yakutia, RF) is presented in comparison with the fur of two cubs (male and female) of the present-day African lion P. leo, and adult lions of both species: color, differentiation, configuration, microstructure and internal hair design of different hair categories. The hair of the cave lion is similar, but not identical to that of the African lion, because it contains a thick, high undercoat of spiral-shaped thick, airy downy hair. This difference is most pronounced in the cubs of the cave lion, in which, however, the fur is not as differentiated as in the adult. The microstructure of hair is species-specific and is subject to intraspecific age-related variability. Adaptive features of the structure of the hair of the cave lion are noted.