| Lynx issiodorensis Temporal range: Pleistocene | |
|---|---|
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| A restored sketch sheet of Lynx issiodorensis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Felidae |
| Subfamily: | Felinae |
| Genus: | Lynx |
| Species: | †L. issiodorensis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Lynx issiodorensis Croizet & Jobert, 1828 | |
Lynx issiodorensis, also known as the Issoire lynx, was an extinct species of lynx that inhabited Europe during the Pleistocene epoch, and may have originated in Africa during the late Pliocene. It probably became extinct during the end of the last glacial period.
It is generally considered as the ancestor of all four species of lynx alive today. Its skeleton resembled that of living lynxes, but it had shorter and more robust limbs, with a larger head and longer neck. As a result, the Issoire lynx more closely resembled a typical member of the cat family than do its extant descendants.