Smilodon populator

[tigerluver]

(03-29-2022, 11:08 PM)genao87 Wrote:

(01-14-2022, 06:27 AM)tigerluver Wrote: Hi @jrocks, sorry for the delay. 250 kg to 300 kg for males, depending on the climate at that point is probably fair.

that is how much it truly weigh??   i thought it was much more than that.....the average.   i mean that is not much more than todays Tigers.    so the Bornean Tiger grew the largest then?  since the estimates are insane so far

A 400 kg average with the current sample is probably unlikely. It seems fossil cats have a great size range than extant populations, probably because their population and genetic diversity were better at the time. 

Yes, MNHN-P957 is the Uruguay skull but Mendez-Alzola reported an ever larger skull of length 408.4 mm. The equation used to estimate the weight of the Uruguay skull is not a good predictor however based on body mapping/GDI 400+ kg is still probably right for it. 

Off the top of my head, I don't remember Prevosti and Vizcaino (2006) detailing their sample. They did use the "weighted estimates" which might cause some overestimation.

Smilodon is not mapped like extant Panthera and therefore these equations are limited. The animal is proportionately taller dorsoventrally and shorter anteroposteriorly. It is also lateromedially deeper. It has a small head (therefore skull-based estimates will underestimate) but disproportionate forelimb and hindlimbs (therefore regression equations don't apply exactly when based off modern cats). There is more in the works regarding the topic. Reply