Do lions have bigger mandibles than other bigcats

[Pckts]

Analyses of Linear Variables

Males and Females are statistically distinct across each of the linear variables (I-XVII), as we hypothesized (H2); males are substantially larger than females in all linear measures (Table 4). However, the sexes do not differ by either of the shape ratios. Those ratios clearly separate lions from tigers as lions have significantly longer rostra and narrower biangular widths – thus supporting H1 as well. Although the upper carnassial (P4) and premolar-molar rows in lions are only slightly longer than those of tigers (35.57 mm vs. 33.79 mm and 68.25 vs. 63.12 respectively), these differences were also highly significant. All of the statistically significant differences including these tooth lengths along with basal skull length (II), two different metrics related to jaw length (V, and X), and the aforementioned mentioned rostral lengths (I and XIV), all relate, essentially, to the lion’s overall longer muzzle while the tiger has a significantly wider rostrum (XV). (Table 4).

"The first principal component is driven most substantially by the anterior-most points relative to the position of the points that lie most close to the midline of the skull in the lateral view – i.e., the position of the zygomatics and the post-orbital processes (Fig. 6). Given that this axis divides the population by species, it is not surprising that the variables that emerge describe the relatively longer muzzle of lions relative to tigers. What is somewhat contrary to what we would have predicted both the anterior-most and posterior-most points show an anterior shift from the tiger morphospace (represented in Fig. 6– by the dot) to the lion morphospace (represented by the end of the line emerging from the dot). Thus the longer rostra found in lions is driven not by an elongation of the anterior portion of the skull, but by the relatively posterior position of the zygomatics and orbits. In other words, according to this analysis, tigers do not have relatively shorter snouts, but relatively rostral eyes and cheeks"



http://caravel.sc.edu/2014/12/the-crania...ve-felids/

"RESULTS
Graphing the PCA showed that species was the first principle component, accounting for 21.28% of the variation, and visibly separating the groups into lions and tigers with almost zero overlap on the x-axis (See Figure 1 & Table 2). The second principle component clearly represented captivity status, accounting for 15.58% of the variance, and separating the wild and captive specimens across the y-axis. The third principle component represented the sex of the individuals, accounting for 7.97% of the variance. Figure 2 shows the second principle component, captivity status, plotted against the third, with females occupying mostly the lower extreme of the y-axis and males occupying the higher extreme.
Differences in morphology were evident at each extreme of the x-axis and y-axis of each PCA test (See Fig. 1 & 2). Among some of the differences were the length of the rostrum, mandibular angle, flexion of the mandibular angles relative to the mandibular symphysis, and the width of the skull. Rostral length differed across species, as tigers were shown to have shorter rostra than lions, which is a trait that has been described by Sunquist (2002) and Christiansen (2007). Christiansen also describes increased nasal height in tigers and differentiates between canine heights across lions and tigers. Mandibular angles also varied across the species, as tigers showed mandibles wider at the top (i.e., bi-coronal breadth) and lions showed the widest point at the base of the mandible (i.e., bi-angular breadth).
Different skull shapes and differences in width were also observable across captivity status. Mandibular angle and rostrum length varied across lion and tiger individuals (Figure 1).

Relative to weight, it’s the jaguar. Recent research by Adam Hartstone-Rose and colleagues at the University of South Carolina, who compared the bite forces of nine different cat species, reveals that jaguars have three-quarters the bite force of tigers.
However, given that jaguars are considerably smaller (the body mass of the individual in the study was only half that of the tiger), relatively speaking their bite is stronger.
“If you had to choose, you’d want to be bitten by a jaguar, not a lion or a tiger. But pound for pound, jaguars pack a stronger punch,” says Adam. “The strength of the jaguar’s bite is due to the arrangement of its jaw muscles, which, relative to weight, are slightly stronger than those of other cats. In addition – also relative to weight – its jaws are slightly shorter, which increases the leverage for biting.”

http://www.discoverwildlife.com/animals/...ngest-bite


I'd be curious to see what the Jaguars jaw length is compared to lion or tigers... Statistically

But it will always come down to the muscles attached (sagital crest area, masseter and temporalis) that will determine power,  but usually the stouter mandible is the stronger bite, relatively speaking.

A good example would be comparing a Hyena to a Wolf

*This image is copyright of its original author

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