Smilodons

Paper Summary:

This paper studies the habits of the smilodon, which was one of the most interesting predators of the Pleistocene era. It analyzes findings of of smilodon fossils and discusses how the findings have changed many of the ideas about the smilodon. It also discusses the social versus solitary natures of the animals and their hunting practices.

Table of Contents:
Abstract
What We Know About Smilodon
Social or Solitary
Genetics and DNA
How the Smilodon Attacked
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"When stalking its prey, the smilodon often injured itself and pulled soft tissues. The scars of these tissues bear the scars of these injuries. According to Rosie and Winters, the most common position for the body of a smilodon to be in when it attacked was feet forward in a lunge. This would suggest that smilodon would spring onto its prey. This theory was derived from data obtained by counting the number and location of injuries in the fossil record. It might be noted that when one compared the injuries of smilodon to canine species, there were fewer injuries from being kicked in the head. This would indicate that canine species attacked by lunging at the throat or hind quarters, whereas the smilodon landed on top of the animal's back and tried to bowl it over."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Anyonge, W. Microwear on Canines and Killing Behavior in Large Carnivores: Saber Function in Smilodon fatalis. Journal of Mammalogy, (Nov., 1996), Vol. 77, No. 4 pp. 1059-1067.
• Basel, K. On the Ecological Connection Between Sabre-tooths and Hominids:Faunal Dispersal Events in the Lower Pleistocene and a Review of the Evidence for the First Human Arrival in Europe.2006. http://www.igme.es/internet/museo/investigacion/paleontologia/invesceno2/orce3.h tm. Accessed November 29, 2006.
• Christiansen, P. and Harris, J. Body Size of Smilodon (Mammalia: Felidae). J Morphol. 2005 Dec; Vol. 266. No. 3: 369-384.
• Feranec, R. Isotopic evidence of saber-tooth development, growth rate, and diet from the adult canine of Smilodon fatalis from Rancho La Brea. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. (2004) Vol. 206 pp. 303- 310
• Janczewski, D., Yuhki, N., Golbert, D., Jefferson, G., and O'Brien, S. Molecular phylogenetic inference from saber-toothed cat fossils of Rancho La Brea. Proc Natl Acad Sci. U.S.A. (1992 October. 15); Vol. 89 No. 30: pp. 9769-9773.

More papers on Smilodons:

• Essay # 137806 : "Analyzing the Smilodon (Saber Tooth Tiger) Display at the Natural History Museum "

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