Results of a phylogenetic analysis of chemical secretions amongst cats indicated that the leopard is closely related to the lion. The geographic origin of the Panthera is most likely northern Central Asia. The leopard-lion clade was distributed in the Asian and African Palearctic since at least the early Pliocene. The leopard-lion clade diverged 3.1–1.95 million years ago. Additionally, a 2016 study revealed that the mitochondrial genomes of the leopard, lion and snow leopard are more similar to each other than their nuclear genomes, indicating that their ancestors hybridized with the snow leopard at some point in their evolution.
results of a phylogenetic analysis of chemical secretions amongst cats indicated that the leopard is closely related to the lion the geographic origin of the panthera is most likely northern central asia the leopard-lion clade was distributed in the asian and african palearctic since at least the early pliocene the leopard-lion clade diverged 31–195 million years ago additionally a 2016 study revealed that the mitochondrial genomes of the leopard lion and snow leopard are more similar to each other than their nuclear genomes indicating that their ancestors hybridized with the snow leopard at some point in their evolution