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Sabre-toothed Cat

Order: Carnivora

Family: Felidae

 

The best known sabre-toothed cat:

Genus: Smilodon

 

 

Other related species include:

Dinofelis                 - (false sabre-tooths)

Homotherium        - (scimitar cats)

Megantereon        - (dirk-toothed)

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

                                           

                                                                                       

Key Facts

· Lived in the continents of North and South America.

· 1.5m in length, with a 30cm skull length, the sabre-toothed cat resembled the modern big cats in body plan.

· Enlarged upper canine teeth gave the sabre-toothed cat a distinctive appearance, the teeth would protrude below the level of the lower jaw when the mouth was shut.

· The sabre-toothed cats lived from 1.6million years to 8000 years ago. Their extinction is associated with the disappearance of thick skinned, megafaunal herbivores from North America.

· Many individuals have been found in the tar pit deposits at Rancho La Brea, California as the cats became trapped while going after prey who had previously become trapped in the tar.

 

Diet & Teeth

· Carnivorous

· Largely preyed upon thick skinned herbivores including mammoths, rhinos, buffalo etc.

· The sabre teeth were enlarged with small serrations providing a cutting weapon similar to a steak knife.

 

Method of Attack

· The original conclusions on how a sabre-tooth attacked its prey were that the large sabre teeth were used to pierce the neck of the victim and puncture either a major artery or the airway resulting in the animal bleeding to death or suffocating. However it is argued that the teeth were not sharp enough nor the neck muscles strong enough for stabbing prey in this fashion.

· Now it is thought that the sabre-toothed cat would remove a chunk of flesh, aided by;

                  i) The very large gape - the jaws could be opened to 120°.

                  Ii) The muscles associated with the jaw gave a strong bite force.

                  iii) The sabre teeth that penetrated deep into the neck to give a large bite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       The prey would subsequently bleed to death and after some time when weakened or             dead the cat could consume its victim.

· This method of attack would allow the sabre-toothed cat to attack and kill animals far larger than a modern big cat of the same size.

· The sabre-toothed cat ambushed its prey because with its short limbs and stocky build it was built for strength and not speed over long distances.

 

 

 

http://www.library.ca.gov/history/symbols/sabertiger.jpg

Sabre-toothed cat's jaw showing major muscles allowing the jaw to open up to 120^o

 

 

Benton, M.J. (1991) The Rise of the Mammals. Quarto Publishing plc, London