Data from: Eurasian wanderer: An island sabertoothed cat (Felidae, Machairodontinae) in the Far East

Machairodontinae, including the famous Smilodon and Homotherium, was an
iconic Pleistocene carnivore lineage that occupied a critical ecological
paleo-niche and is thought to have had a profound impact on Ice Age
ecosystem structure. Recent ancient molecular studies on Homotherium
suggest a wider distribution than inferred from the fossil record,
highlighting a need for additional fieldwork, fossil collection, and
research in understudied geographic regions. After the original
publication 80 years ago that identified a Pleistocene carnivoran fossil
as Felis sp. in Taiwan, here we revise its identification and demonstrate
the presence of the large machairodontine cat, cf. Homotherium sp., in the
Pleistocene of Taiwan, suggesting the easternmost occurrence of this
lineage in Eurasia. Our results also exemplify the importance of fossil
curation and in-depth research to reveal regional hidden diversity and
lost ecosystem structure for understanding faunal turnover and the origin
of modern biodiversity.