Comparing Cats: A Discussion of Similarities & Differences

[GuateGojira]

(03-17-2022, 01:52 AM)SpinoRex Wrote: Yes,

I never said lions are overall stronger but in a certain area where the clavicle plays a role(same for tigers when it comes to the forearm; Ulna the tiger, radius similar and paws as well). Lets assume that the robustness and length are equal.... alone due to the curvature the lion will have more surface area. 

I communicated with Yamaguchi months ago. I read his studies and you can see his note "cats with a higher index are usually more cursorial, but the lion is an exception, while the tiger is a typical forest cat". Based on several studies you may have noticed that lions are except the BI extremely similar to tigers in both robusticity, strength, length and overall limb proportions (backed up by a study and stated by yamaguchi). If you go by BI you are right but if you mean the whole limb you are wrong.

Now you focus in this? If the lion is more cursorial than tiger is not important here, and I will kept what Dr Sunquist and Yamaguchi says in they documents, which is clear: Lions are more cursorial and closer to cheetah in that aspect, period.

NowI will return to the main point again, the clavicle issue. And again I put it in the table, the sample is biased, contrary to what @dominusforti sais in his previous post. A partial conclusion based in a sample of males against females and large subspecies against small subspecies, is not correct. 

Again, captive lions may average over 200 kg and captive lionesses over 130 kg, but captive Malayan tigresses average less than 100 kg. Captive lions develope ticker bones while tigers do not have a significant difference (based in the skull). So how this study can be conclusive? Suggestive at least, but is not statistically conclusive, that is sure.

Also, again, the study suggest that Smilodon fatalis had the smallest clavicles and we perfectly know that Smilodon was heavier and stronger than any modern lion or tiger. So clavicle so not help in strengt but only in locomotion. Reply