Freak Felids - A Discussion of History's Largest Felines

[Balam]

(05-09-2021, 12:34 PM)LoveAnimals Wrote:

(05-09-2021, 05:29 AM)Balam Wrote: If this species was just as big as S. populator it would certainly change our beliefs on which were the largest felids of the past, it seems like Xenosmilus hodsonae was pushed to fifth position in the American machairodontine line, and S. fatalis to third place in North America specifically.

What truly impresses me about this Cat is its appearance, the size. 

Never seen a 140 cm tall cat, we are today all concentrated on 110 cm tall tigers and 120 cms lions lol. That Machairodus is a damn Horse! Might truly be as big as Smilodon populator despite not having the same bone density and therefore Smilodon populator will remain the heaviest felid to ever exist. Smilodon has basically the built of a jaguar that's why they are really heavy for their size, Barbourofelis is another example.
The report says that it could reach 300 kgs despite being only 75 to 90 cm tall. 
That's why I say that Smilodon Lineage resembles Panthera Onca. Quite heavy despite the height

To compare, cougars are 70-90 cm tall and weigh 53-105 kg and max around 120+kg and leopards (65-86 cm tall) weigh 62-96 kg and max probably up to 100 kgs.
Jaguars on the other hand are 76-81 cm but they can weigh as much as an average lioness (I've seen in Carnivora many quarrels between Pantherinae and other leopard fans and as a Leopard fanboy myself I can't get how they can't accept that a panthanal jaguar of 120-140lg generally dwarfs an average 67-70kg African leopard. The largest 90-100kg leopards might rival the size of an average Jaguar but not the max sized ones. However, I hate leopard fanboys that understimate Jaguars, they are incredible cats and I wish we could find some 160 kg males) 

I never knew if the Machairodus in general had a bone structure similar to smilodon or to modern pantheras. If the bone density is similar to the one of lions and tigers I believe that Smilodon Populator will remain a bit heavier than this new cat despite being shorter, but if it is more similar to smilodon, I believe that on max size this monster could touch 470 and perhaps 500 kg.

If it isn't anyway yea I put the average around 270/318 kgs and max up to 405/420 kgs. As big as Hercules the Liger.

To compare, Hercules is 123 cm tall and weighs 418 kg. If we scale this weight up to 140 cm it seems reasonable that this Machairodus Lahayishupup could reach such bear weight.

If we get any more news about this new predator, I'll post information on here.

Cougars and leopards aren't taller than jaguars, the height of jaguars quoted comes from a straight line and without counting the paw, whereas for leopards and cougars it usually counts the paw, cougars seem to have particularly long limbs so I wouldn't be surprised if the tallest males reach the 80 cm mark, but I'm highly skeptical of leopards reaching this threshold. Likewise, most claims of lions or tigers in the wild attaining shoulder heights of 110+ cm should be taken with a grain of salt unless the measuring protocol is specified (see the Hobatere lions). What is true is that for the discrepancy in mass between jaguars, cougars, and leopards at similar shoulder heights is very pronounced, with jaguars being significantly heavier, and as you said this trend of heavy-boned cats packing a lot of mass on a modest frame was something that was very commonly seen with machairodontines, particularly Xenosmilus sp.

Leopards other than the Persian population rarely average 60+ kg in weight and they don't attain the sizes of average Pantanal jaguars, Pantanal male runts that weigh 80-90 kg overlap in size with the largest leopards but that's about it. The average of 100 kg for Pantanal jaguars is the lowest average baseline from them, they are heavier than that. The maximum recorded reliable weights for cougars and leopards are 103 kg and 96 kg respectively, claims of 120 kg or more are practically impossible and need solid verification to ascertain their veracity, akin to claims of 180 and 200 kg Holocene jaguars.

Barboruofelis fricki is thought to have been similar in body mass to modern African lions or mainland tigers, the estimate of 300 kg is likely inflated, but you're correct in that the bone robusticity of this feliform was really high as well. Reply