Smilodon | Facts & Information

Feline with dagger fangs

To date, the science of paleontology has investigated no less than 119 species of felines with giant canines. An impressive number that brings us to the diversity given by the specialization of the dentition of these felines with atypical appearance. Scientists who deal mainly with the classification and classification of species, whether fossil or current, already come with a first surprise for us: many of these carnivores were not typical felines, they actually belonged to distinct subfamilies of primitive cats, extinct with their representatives.

For example, the carnivores of the past with the appearance of walrus, were part of the large family Felidae, but they were not typical felines, scientists included them for this reason in the subfamilies Machairodontine, Barburopheline and Nimravids.

All these species dominated the carnivorous fauna of the Cenozoic era developing their physiological peculiarities according to prey, environment, along with competition from the first wild dogs, hyenas and bears with whom they were forced to share their hegemony over herds of herbivores.

The first dagger-fanged Tigers appeared somewhere about 33.7 million years ago, in the middle of the Eocene period, only for their last Representatives to disappear about 10,000 years ago, during the great extinction that ended the prominent representatives of the megafauna. Within these unusual predators, an interesting phenomenon is observed. The appearance of these carnivores is simply episodic.

That is, they appeared to disappear in intervals of several million years, so that over another few million years they reappear in different corners of the planet. Researchers attribute this phenomenon unprecedented in any other animal, the appearance of specific prey that would force the sudden adaptation of ordinary felines to the hunt of new species.

Felines with dagger FANGs included in their rad both small species that weighed as much as a wild cat, as well as representatives that had the waist of a bear... truly impressive remain members of the genera Smilodon, Machairodus and Nimravus. These are the ones people came to know as tigers or Lions with dagger fangs, although they had little in common with either Lions or tigers.

Feline vampires or elephant killers ?

When the skeletons of the first carnivores with fangs like sickles were presented to the British at the beginning of the 20th century, they, influenced in advance by the cheap vampire novels of that time, were convinced that the terrible carnivores of the past were a kind of itinerant vampires who attacked elephants and rhinos to suck their blood with the help of huge canines.

Such a ridiculous theory was embraced at the time even by some prestigious paleontologists of that time. The truth was again far from the assumptions of science at the time. Only large species of Smilodon and Machairodus ventured to attack primitive elephants, but even they did not attack massive elephants such as Deinotherium, mammoths or mastodons. All of these currently extinct feline species have populated large parts of Eurasia, Africa and the Americas. In Romania, the fossilized remains of several species have been discovered, including the imposing Machairodus megantheron.

Fangs, weapons or vulnerable points ?

While the current felines have short canines, solidly implanted in the alveoli and predominantly conical in shape, the giant canines of Smilodons and Machairodontids were not only long, but also extremely thin and flattened like a narrow and cut blade of dagger or sickle. In order for the bite to work properly, all dagger-fanged Tigers had fewer premolars on their mandibles.

In the same direction, Smilodons had an extremely wide bite, their jaws could open close to the 140 degree angle, which accredited the idea that Smilodons opened their mouths so much that they could successfully apply a fatal bite to the massive body of an elephant.

Despite the creepy-looking canines, these superspecialized teeth were too fragile to be used by Smilodons in a possible stabbing bite applied to any part of the prey's body. If they encountered a massive bone in their path, such as the shoulder blade, humerus, or cranial cap, the long, narrow fangs were likely to break, leading to dental abscesses or even bacterial infections. According to modern theories and the latest virtual studies and simulations, Smilodons did not tear the abdomen of prey to kill them, as previously thought.

By doing so, the dagger-fanged felines would likely have locked their canines in the rib cage, or the canines could easily fracture under the impact of the biting animal's struggle. Currently, researchers have concluded that all dagger-fanged Tigers bite their prey by the neck, applying a single fatal bite. The huge fangs could thus simultaneously cut the carotid and throat of the prey. For all their seemingly invincible appearance, dagger-fanged Tigers were weak fighters who often abandoned their prey to packs of hyenas, cave lions or bears, preferring a strategic retreat to a fierce fight. Any conflict with another predator carries the risk of fracturing the long canines and exposed to the paw blows of lions and bears.

Unusual killers

The largest members of the subfamily of dagger-fanged Tigers, were undoubtedly representatives of the genus Smilodon who lived exclusively in the Americas. If only Smilodon gracilis, the smallest species, hadn't passed 80 kg. weight, the giant Smilodon populator from South America, weighed up to 350 kg, according to estimates of paleontologists. Although a Smilodon fatalis, the most famous species, was about the size of an african Lion, its weight was almost double, due to its massive and stocky body constitution that resembled that of a bear rather than the silhouette of a feline. Smilodon was certainly a perfect ambush predator, more specialized even than today's leopards and tigers in this type of hunting.

His physical conformation, very solid, did not allow him to run after prey. Also, unlike today's large felines, which have a long tail used to maintain balance while chasing after prey, Smilodons had unnaturally short tails, similar to those of bears, an additional argument for the theory of perfect ambush. Its limbs were shorter but more solid than those of lions, and the extensor and flexor muscles of its paws were particularly developed. Due to these anatomical features, Smilodons suddenly caught their prey in the powerful forelegs operated by retractile claws, after which they instantly applied the fatal bite.

Very interesting was this particular bite. Researchers who have thoroughly studied the shape and peculiarities of the skull of these felines, have come to a shocking conclusion! Smilodons had a relatively small bite force, due to a set of modestly sized masseter muscles. The Force developed in the bite of the massive Smilodon populator was only one-third that of a present-day african lion. Tigers with dagger fangs could not measure themselves in a fight for disputing a downed prey, with the redoubtable American or Eurasian lions, whose bite was obviously stronger than Siberian tigers. Like the current Lions,

Smilodons lived in hierarchical groups, whose social structure allowed them both to shoot down difficult prey more easily and to provide food for injured or elderly individuals, as demonstrated by palontological findings. The prey of these cats with atypical appearance were made up of bison, giant elk, camels, horses, giant sloths along with cubs and young specimens of mammoths and mastodons. However, according to the researchers ' assumptions, dagger-fanged Tigers were specialized in hunting ancient rhinos and hippos, due to the body conformation of these pachyderms that would have allowed the felines to use their bite optimally, thus minimizing the risk of fractures of the canines.

A recent study in 2008 advances an unusual idea. It is possible that due to the frequent interactions between the members of the Smilodon group, their huge fangs may have served as secondary sexual characters, having a role more appropriate to signaling, or acting as a weapon used by males in their duels for access to females. This situation is common among animal species such as elephants, baboons, narwhals, walruses, wild boars or musk deer.

These imposing fangs that indicate a superspecialized carnivore have finally led to their extinction. The extinction of the megafauna has left dagger-fanged Tigers without their specific prey. No matter how strange it may seem, a Smilodon would not be able to hunt wild goats, deer or Wild Boars because its enormous teeth do not allow it to kill on the spot a smaller prey that can struggle and ultimately fracture the fangs of the feared predator!