There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
(02-22-2018, 08:10 AM)tigerluver Wrote: To be frank, the relative canine size for the mandible is rather average. Looking at the previous overlay comparisons, the canine is proportionately as big as that of the Trinil and Longdan tigers. It's just that the skull is so big that the canine is in absolute terms huge.
Maybe the drop in body size caused an increase in canine length. It's energetically cheaper to grow larger canines than a larger body. Therefore, today's cats can achieve a quicker kill with longer canines rather than sheer body strength.
Agreed. Maintaining a large body is a costly affair. Keeping large teeth isn't. During the Pleistocene big cats lost size, but they kept the dentition they had just in case. After the Toba eruption, things most probably changed in that department.
As to age. You can get a very decent estimate, but my friends told me it would be costly. Better find someone writing an article about Pleistocene big cats right now. If you come up empty, you could develop a proposal yourself. The fragment you have no doubt would interest a number of institutions.
Congratulations with the magnificent mandible. Keep us informed.