Felis cf. lunensis Martelli, 1906

(Figs 26–32)

Material – Layer 2: Phalanx II (V.81.37).

Layer 4: Left femur distal fragment (Fig. 26); right radius distal and proximal fragment; right ulna proximal fragment; right scapula distal fragment; 2 vertebrae caudalis; 3 phalanges I; 4 phalanges II (VER 2018.2612.).

Layer 8: Deciduous right lower caninus (V.83.24) (Figs 27–28).

Layer 22b: Caninus fragment (VER 2018.2634.).

Layer 36: Vertebra cervicalis (VER 2018.2644.).

From mixed deposits: MT III proximal fragment (Figs 29–32); phalanx II (VER 2018.2690.).

Remarks – The cat remains from Somssich Hill 2 originally were described by JÁNOSSY (1999) as jungle cat (Felis chaus) remains, because the morphology and the measurements are very similar to the latter; however, we have no evidence of the occurrence of this species in early Middle or Early Pleistocene sites. As the Somssich Hill 2 specimens are clearly larger than the recent or the Pleistocene wild cat (Felis silvestris) remains, but there are not any isolated teeth or other cranial remains in the record, we provisionally ranked them into Felis lunensis, which species is also larger than F. silvestris. According to the data of STACH (1961) who published some measurements on F. lunensis and described the Pliocene Felis wenzensis as a new species, it seems that the estimated body size of the Somssich Hill 2 cat is more similar to the larger F. wenzensis than to F. lunensis. However, we can rule out the former species because it is definitely older stratigraphically. F. lunensis together with “ Chaus sp.” has already been listed by JÁNOSSY (1990) in the faunal list of Somssich Hill 2 but later in JÁNOSSY (1999) only the Felis chaus was described.