Thylacoleo carnifex vs. Panthera leo

Marsupial Lion vs. African Lion

The Marsupial lion was a powerful predator. Also known as Thylacoleo carnifex; this was the largest species of marsupial lion. It was fairly large and grew larger than a jaguar; nearly to the size of a male lion (220-400lbs). However, this predator’s strength and armory made up for its size. This marsupial had semi-opposable digits AND retractable claws. This creature also had the strongest jaws of any mammal, extinct or alive, pound for pound. It was known to hunt the 3 ton Diprotodon, the largest marsupial on the planet, reaching sizes over that of our modern day white rhinos. Like lions, these animals hunted in some sort of cooperative pack association, however, these animals had much smaller “prides” than those of a true African lion. The unfortunate demise of the large mega fauna of Australia was now hypothesized to not die out from climate change, but competition for food, over hunting and the scorch-earth farming of the immigrated humans. The marsupial lion was estimated to die off about 46-30 thousand years ago and lived since 2 million years ago. However, these animals had no relation to modern lions. They were marsupials, while lions are placental mammals. All marsupials have no placenta and only one hole for excreting waste, where they urinate and defecate from, like monotremes, (current day egg-laying mammals) birds, and cold blooded animals do. The closest living relatives of Thylacoleo are surprisingly, the docile herbivorous wombats and koalas of Australia. This predator may have still been alive today, if humans had never arrived in Australia.

Stats:

Length: 3-6 feet long, from head to rump (the tail may be an additional 1.5-2.5 feet)
Weight: 220-400lbs
Armaments: Powerful build, a lot of stamina, strong upper-body, semi-opposable digits, retractable claws, can use paws in a fight, and extremely powerful jaws, over-powering those of the spotted hyena (pretty much like meat carvers).


The African lion is a powerful predator, with retractable claws, and males can grow up to 8 feet long, from head to rump, and weigh as much as 550lbs. Male lions are much stronger than females, and can make a difference between a failed hunt and a successful one, for the pride. Lion prides have been known to prey on animals as large as the massive cape buffalos and occasionally, in Kruger park, elephants. However, this is during the nighttime, when the visions of the elephants are poor. Their bite is comparable to that of a grey wolf (700PSI). A lion’s paws are strong enough to shatter the ribcage of an average human. Lions are very quick and agile, like most felids, and still are very strong, for their size. The problem about felines though, is that their fast-twitch muscle fibers can also tire them out quicker. Despite lions having the most stamina of all felids, they still have low stamina, in comparison to other mammals.

Stats:

Length: 4-7 feet long, from head to rump (their tail is probably an additional 2-3 feet)
Weight: 250-550lbs
Armaments: Very powerful hunters, have retractable claws, can use paws in a fight, agile, fast, strong upper-body and strong willed.