Smilodon populator

[epaiva]

Smilodon populator was among the largest known felids, with a body mass of 400 kg (880 lb), and one estimate suggesting up to 470 kg (1,040 lb). It stood at a shoulder height of 120 cm (47 in) and had a body length excluding the tail of 220 cm. Compared to S. fatalis, S. populator was more robust and had a more elongated and narrow skull with a straighter upper profile, higher positioned nasal bones, a more vertical occiput, more massive metapodials and slightly longer forelimbs relative to hindlimbs. Large tracks from Argentina (for which the ichnotaxon name Smilodonichium has been proposed) have been attributed to S. populator, and measure 17.6 cm (6.9 in) by 19.2 cm (7.6 in). This is larger than tracks of the Bengal tiger, to which the footprints have been compared.
Despite being more powerfully built than other large cats, Smilodon had a weaker bite. Modern big cats have more pronounced zygomatic arches, while these were smaller in Smilodon, which restricted the thickness and therefore power of the temporalis muscles and thus reduced Smilodon's bite force. Analysis of its narrow jaws indicates that it could produce a bite only a third as strong as that of a lion. There seems to be a general rule that the saber-toothed cats with the largest canines had proportionally weaker bites. Analyses of canine bending strength (the ability of the canine teeth to resist bending forces without breaking) and bite forces indicate that the saber-toothed cats' teeth were stronger relative to the bite force than those of modern big cats. In addition, Smilodon's gape could have reached almost 120 degrees, while that of the modern lion reaches 65 degrees. This made the gape wide enough to allow Smilodon to grasp large prey despite the long canines.
Pictures taken from the book Sabertooth (Mauricio Anton)

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

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