Fig.1. A representation of Smilodon of 1903, as the pioneering work of Charles R. Knight, Chorlton figure by 1985. few extinct predators are known to the general public as the saber-toothed tiger, which is held for its spectacular tusks as a perfect example of a mammalian predator.
But the study of structure and shape of the teeth revealed that possess an oval section, which is why, unlike the big cats of today, are inadequate to withstand the forces of a prey that struggles to free himself from the bite of the predator (MCHENRY et al. 2007). According to this model, to avoid a fracture of the canines, it was necessary for these predators to manage and immobilize the prey as effectively as possible.
comparing radiographs of the saber-toothed tiger, Smilodon Fatalis , the American lion, Panthera atrox , and 28 species of modern cats, a recently published research (MEACHEN-Samuels et al. 2010) actually observed that the shoulders of the front legs of S. Fatalis were much thicker in relation to their length, and the outer bone cortex was more developed in comparison to all other cats studied.
Based on these observations, the research concludes that Smilodon was a powerful predator that differs from existing big cats in its increased ability to subdue its prey using the forelimbs. This development and the resulting force majeure forelimb was part of a complex adaptation driven by the need to minimize the duration el 'size of the fight to overwhelm their prey in order to protect the elongated canines and accurately place the final lethal bite.
Bibliography:
Chorlton, W. (And) (1985): Ice Ages (Planet Earth). Time-Life Books: 176
MEACHEN-SAMUELS, J.A. & VALKENBURGH, B. van (2010): Radiographs Reveal Exceptional Forelimb Strength in the Sabertooth Cat, Smilodon fatalis . PLOS One 5(7): e11412. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0011412
McHENRY, C.R.; WROE, S.; CLAUSEN, P.D:; MORENO, K. & CUNNINGHAM, E. (2007): Supermodeled sabercat, predatory behavior in Smilodon fatalis revealed by high-resolution 3D computer simulation. PNAS Vol. 104(41): 16010-16015
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