Smilodon populator

[LonePredator]

*This image is copyright of its original author

This is what I imagine Smilodon Populator (right) and Fatalis (left) would have looked like (with slightly more loose skin and slightly higher bodyfat as well as thick fur for Fatalis). Although they would be bulkier and more muscular than modern Bengal and Amur Tigers.

And although it is believed that Smilodons may have looked as bulky and ‘thick’ as Brown Bears, I partially disagree with this because:

• The main reason for Brown Bears having very robust bones is the extra mass from body fat while Smilodons had muscle and since muscle is denser than fat, it would have lower volume per unit mass while fat would have higher volume and thus appear ‘thicker’.
• Muscle is motile while fat is immotile, the motile property of muscle would allow it to resist and ease up some of the stress on the limb bones while fat would exert a lot more stress on the mass on the limb bones (which would require thicker bones)
  

So mainly, extra fat mass would need thicker limb bones compared to muscle mass for the limb bones to withstand the weight of extra fat mass. Reply