Smilodon

***Smilodon*** was a genus of prehistoric cats belonging to the Machairodontinae subfamily. The species *Smilodon populator* was the last and largest of the sabertooth cats, ranging from North to South America during the Pleistocene to the Holocene.

Commonly referred to as a **saber-toothed tiger**, they are by no means related to modern tigers or other pantherines, as they belongs to a distinct subfamily.

## Description

Smilodon species where the heaviest-built of all machairodontine cats. *Smilodon populator* in particular was the heaviest, at 800 lbs or more. Its only rivals in size amongst the machairodonts were *Amphimachairodus* and *Machairodus horribilis*.

*Smilodon fatalis* was around the same length as a lion, but slightly heavier at around 430-600 lbs. *Smilodon gracilis* meanwhile, was the smallest species, estimated to be about the same weight as a jaguar, maxing out at 360 lbs in weight. Its also said to be the ancestor of *S. fatalis* and *S. populator*.

## Anatomy and Paleobiology

*Smilodon populator* was the largest sabre-toothed cat (popularly known as the sabre tooth tiger). *S. populator* was a fierce predator about 3 metres long and 1.05 metres tall. *Smilodon* species weighed anywhere from 110 (*gracilis*)–400(*populator*) kg. *Smilodon* was a bit larger than a modern-day lion (*Panthera leo*), and much heavier. Smilodon had relatively short, muscular legs and a short, bobbed tail a bit like that of a modern day bobcat.

*Smilodon's* front legs were especially powerful and its body was adapted for springing onto prey, but it was not a very fast runner and could not adapt to chase after fast-running prey like deer. Instead, it hunted relatively slower animals such as *Macrauchenia*, *Toxodon*, some species of mammoths and mastodon, and ground sloths. Its 31 cm skull had 2 huge sabre-like canine teeth and these were serrated and oval in cross-section. Many *Smilodon* fossils have been found with broken canines; a fossil wolf was found with a *Smilodon* tooth fragment embedded in its skull, as well as a Smilodon recovered from the La Brea Tar Pits with a fatal puncture wound from another of its own kind.

*Smilodon* had jaws that could 120 degrees while on the other hand, today's lions can only open their jaws at 65 degrees. *Smilodon* also had and neck muscles that let it stab prey with its deadly maxillary canine sabre teeth, while its jaws were weak as a result of its long canines; its bite strength was comparable to a large dog and much weaker than that of a lion. Its front incisor teeth may also have been used to rip away strips of flesh from the bones of its prey.

Studies by Mauricio Anton *et al*., also show it could shear off flesh from kills using its carnassial teeth. It is unknown if Smilodon could hunt after lost its teeth but several paleontologists and biologists suggest it could be fatal for the big cat: however, some fossils of *Smilodon* have been found with healed wounds, indicating injured cat was getting food from an external source which gives credit to it possibly living in prides like modern lions or perhaps in packs akin to those of wolves as there is no size difference between male and female Smilodon recovered from various fossil sites such as Rancho La Brea.

*Smilodon's* hunting behavior was interpreted as ambush strategy, sneaking as close to its prey as possible before leaping on it cause it was so slow and had strong yet stocky legs . After pinning its victim down with its powerful front legs, Smilodon would use its powerful neck muscles to drive its saber teeth into the neck of its prey. Some scientists however disagree with this, and believe it targeted the belly of its prey. No modern cat hunts with a strategy that aims for the belly. Some like jaugars and cougars/pumas sometimes target the head but not the stomach.

Such strategies are filled with problems; aiming for the stomachs of prey leaves the cat vulnerable to a retaliatory kick. Another problem regarding belly bite strategies is that stomach bites using saber teeth only create shallow flesh wounds that create only superficial damage.

A bite to the throat meanwhile, allows the cat to sever the jugular veins, carotid arteries and trachea while simultaneously controlling and stifling the animal's movement without much risk of tooth breakage.

Smilodon's enormous canines were likely an adaptation for making swifter kills than modern cats. Such effective weapons allowed *Smilodon* to kill quickly and eat fast without fear of competitors stealing its hard-won meals.

Smilodon cubs have been found in the La Brea Tar Pits, and it is made clear from their dentition that they were born with teeth, not unlike hyenas, and that their milk sabers were serrated for eating portions of a carcass that adults could not. They also took three years to grow to full maturity, with their adult sabers growing in around one-and-a-half years of age.

## Paleoecology

*Smilodon* was an inhabitant of relatively warm climates, and it was present throughout the warmer areas of the American continents during the Ice Age. Isotope ratio analysis indicates that *Smilodon* predominantly fed on ungulates such as camels, horses, and bison. However, mastodons, mammoths, ground sloths, and even the armored *Glyptotherium* were components on its menu.

*Smilodon* preferred heavily vegetated areas, and probably dwelled in forested habitat. In South America, Smilodon hunted such animals as *Macrauchenia*, *Toxodon*, and horses. Dire wolves, American lions, jaguars, *Homotherium*, and short-faced bears shared its range on both continents, creating intense competition.

## Range

*Smilodon* evolved and most commonly lived in North America. When, in the Pliocene, North and South America finally came together and formed a land bridge, *Smilodon* was a part of the Great American Exchange; while commonly depicted as being the primary cause of the extinction of sparassodonts like Thylacosmilus and the phorusrhacid terror birds, *Smilodon* was not the cause for their extinction, as Smilodon gracilis lived alongside the phorusrhacid *Titanis* and *Thylacosmilus* died out four million years ago, well before *Smilodon* evolved.

## Extinction

Its still unknown what caused the extinction of this genus, but a combination of climate change, possible competition with humans (though no evidence suggests this), and the extinction of the large animals it hunted may have contributed to its demise.

## JPInstitute.com Description

Also spelled Saber Toothed Cat, these were among the most successful creatures ever to live on Earth. They appeared almost 30 million years ago and became extinct only 10,000 years ago, most likely because man hunted them and man also killed off much of their prey. They are best known because of their distinctive fangs, which were as long as 6 inches. An interesting fact is that they needed to open their mouths more than 90 degrees in order to be able to bite. Another interesting fact is that, because it would have been relatively easy to break a saber, they would probably have used their teeth to bite into the bottom of the neck of their prey and slash it open as opposed to biting where they might hit a bone.

## Appearance in other media

### *Jurassic Park*

Smilodon appeared in the TV series Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous.

* *Read more at the Jurassic Park Wiki*