[6] However, later analysis of two mitochondrial genomes obtained from sedimentary layers of El Miron cave in Spain (dating to approximately 46,890–33,160 and 22,980–22,240 calibrated years Before Present respectively) found that these sequences were each others closest relatives, but they did not group with those from Germany, and were instead within the living diversity of Asian leopard mitochondrial DNA sequences, and in particular shared a close common ancestry with a 35,000 year old leopard mitochondrial DNA sequence obtained from Mezmaiskaya cave in the northwest Caucasus.

[7] The skulls of Late Pleistocene European leopards are medium-long, and their characteristics are closest to the Panthera pardus tulliana subspecies.

Like other mammals, leopards from the cold glacial periods of the Late Pleistocene are usually larger than those from the warm interglacial phases.

[8] Remains from Equi cave in Italy exhibit considerable size variabilty, but are generally large in comparison to modern leopards.

[13] Bone fragments of P. p. spelaea have been excavated in Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland and Greece.

[10] The most complete skeleton of P. p. spelaea is known from Vjetrenica Cave in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, where four leopard fossils were found.

[8] The cave site of Equi in northwestern Italy, dating to the Last Glacial Period (MIS 3, ~53-27,000 years ago) represents the richest concentration of leopard remains from Pleistocene Europe, with some 200 bones of leopards having been excavated from the locality, including 5 well preserved skulls.