ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → Archaeology

Saber-toothed Cat [Science ABC]

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
October 3, 2007 - Updated on January 29, 2013
in Archaeology, Studies
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

 

saber tooth

It is largely believed that the sabre-toothed cat Smilodon is a fierce, strong and very dangerous predator. Along side the Tyrannosaurus rex it is regarded as a nearly flawless killing machine. The upper canines which are built like knives support that theory.

But an Australian study, published recently in the US Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, hopes to lay the arguments to rest. The scientists at the University of New South Wales and University of Newcastle have used a very interesting technique called Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to test the bite force and feeding mechanics of the fearsome predator.

“Skulls are much more complex then most man-made structures, and to apply the technique to a fossil big cat required some tricks engineers usually have to handle,” says the University of Newcastle’s Colin McHenry, lead author on the paper. “Historically there have been a number of interpretations about how Smilodon killed,” says UNSW palaeontologist Dr Steve Wroe. “Early researchers thought it had a weak bite. More recently, people have suggested that the bite was strong.”. The results showed that the Smilodon had a relatively weak bite – about one third as powerful as a lion of similar size. “For all its reputation, Smilodon had a wimpy bite” says Dr Wroe. “It bit like a moggy.”.

So this limits the big toothed fossil cat cat to a very specific range of killing behaviours.

But just the fact that the bite was weak does not mean that it was not a formidable predator.

“Anything but,” says Dr Wroe. “Smilodon was an awesome beast — and what it lacked in bite force it more than made up for elsewhere.”. The body was very powerful and it was made for wrestling with the prey until the weak bite was applied to the neck.Dr Wroe describes the lion as a “better all rounder” in the hunting stakes. Smilodon was massively over-engineered for the purposes of taking small prey, but a ruthlessly efficient hunter of big game.”.

So even with a weaker bite than previously believed, it retains its seat among the most dangerous predators our planet has seen. Even though it is sometimes called the saber-toothed cat, or tiger, it is not related to felines at all. It was on top of the food chain, preying on a wide variety of large game including bison, tapirs, deer,  horses and ground sloths.

RelatedPosts

Saber-tooth cats grew their fangs faster than human fingernails
Tags: sabre toothsabre tooth catsmilodon

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

Skeleton of Smilodon (Smilodon fatalis). Exhibit in the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan.
Animals

Saber-tooth cats grew their fangs faster than human fingernails

byMihai Andrei
10 years ago

Recent news

This Startup Is Using Ancient DNA to Recreate Perfumes from Extinct Flowers

May 21, 2025

Jupiter Was Twice Its Size and Had a Magnetic Field 50 Times Stronger After the Solar System Formed

May 21, 2025

How One Man and a Legendary Canoe Rescued the Dying Art of Polynesian Navigation

May 21, 2025 - Updated on May 22, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.