Smilodon, or saber-toothed cat, lived in the Americas during the Pleistocene epoch, a period that spanned from 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago. More robustly built than any modern cat, Smilodon boasted particularly well-developed forelimbs and...

Smilodon, or saber-toothed cat, lived in the Americas during the Pleistocene epoch, a period that spanned from 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago. More robustly built than any modern cat, Smilodon boasted particularly well-developed forelimbs and exceptionally long upper canine teeth. Numerous remains of Smilodon have been found at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. Scientists are unsure why this site attracted so many saber-toothed cats, but some suggest these cats may have been scavengers rather than hunters. Smilodon’s enormous canines, or “sabers,” protruded inches below its chin line when its jaws were closed. In order to stab its prey, the saber-toothed cat had to open its lower jaw to a 95-degree gape so as to clear the points of the sabers. The phrase “sabertoothed tiger” is a bit of a misnomer, as Smilodon is not an especially close relative of modern tigers.

Learn more in the Milstein Hall of Advanced Mammals: https://goo.gl/ovFF4c

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