Comparing Cats: A Discussion of Similarities & Differences

[dominusforti]

Didn't see this posted here so thought I'd share:

Biceps brachi leverage index (BBL) among large felids

N. nebulosa: 13.97
P. onca: 13.38
P. leo: 12.72
P. tigris: 12.51
P. pardus: 11.59
A. jubatus: 7.38

(Length from proximal end of biciptal tuberosity to proximal end of the radius/total length of the radis × 100)

Source: "Carnivoran paleoguilds of Africa: implications for homonid food procurement strategies."

None of these values are all that surprising. All felids have relatively powerful biceps. Nevertheless, there is some differentiation. The clouded leopard (perhaps surprisingly) has the most powerful biceps by far, reflective of them being specialist climbers that nees mechanical advantage for the forearm flexors in order to pull themselves up a tree. The jaguar follows closely behind, and also has especially powerful biceps. The jaguar is both a robust, large prey specialist, as well as relatively large and scansorial, and this may be a reason why they have very powerful biceps. In the Americas, jaguars coevolved with many more sturdy, robust prey, like sloths, pampatheres, etc. The unique presence of many heavily built prey species may have driven the jaguar to focus more on strong prey restraint, as did the extinct Smilodon compared to its ancestors, respectively.

The leopard has relatively less powerful biceps than other large felids, albeit still powerful compared to other carnivores. This is unsurprising, with leopard being an overall generalist that often hunts smaller prey than lions or tigers, and certainly evolved to hunt smaller prey than jaguars (even if the jaguar today has little choice but to hunt smaller prey, in ecosystems mostly devoid of megafauna).

The lion and the tiger have have very similar biceps brachii configurations, which is to be expected. Together, the two represent a terrestrial, large prey specialist morph of Panthera, and have similar adaptations overall. Both have powerful biceps brachii that are needed to pull down large, struggling prey. It would be interesting to consider the implications of lions' relatively long distal limbs, though. Reply