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Post Info TOPIC: Sabretooth tiger
Blobrana


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Smilodon
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The mystery of how prehistoric sabretoothed cats coped with their oversized teeth has been solved in part by a new analysis of the cats' jaws.
To impale prey with these impressive weapons, the famous sabretoothed cats must have opened their mouths wider than any modern big cat, but it was unclear if their jaw muscles were strong enough to do it.
Now the new analysis reveals that the cats' jaw muscles evolved into a specialised pattern, which allowed them to open their mouths so wide.
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Blobrana


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RE: Sabretooth tiger
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Sabretooth cats threatened most ancient human ancesto

Humankind's oldest known ancestor probably lived in fear of several large sabretooth cats that roamed the same ancient lakeside habitat in Africa.
Palaeontologists have identified two new sabretooth species among fossils unearthed at Toros Menalla in Chad.
In 2001, a team unearthed remains of a seven million-year-old human-like creature - or hominid - known as "Toumai" at the central African site.
Its discoverers argue that Toumai is the oldest hominid known to science.


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Blobrana


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Sabretooth tigers
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Sabretooth tigers hunted in packs
Forget their ferocious fangs - sabretooth "tigers" were social animals who lived in family prides, like lions today, according to UK and US experts.
The abundance of S.fatalis fossils in Californian tar seeps suggests they were packs of scavengers, lured in by the distress calls of trapped prey.

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Blobrana


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Sabretooth tiger
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Giant hyenas, sabretoothed cats, giraffes and zebras lived side by side in Europe 1.8 million years ago.
The creatures' remains were among a vast fossil hoard unearthed at an ancient hyena den in the Granada region of south-east Spain.
The area appears to have been a crossroads where European animals mixed with species from Africa and Asia.
About 4,000 fossils have been found at the unique site. They also include gazelles, wolves, wild boar and lynx.

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Blobrana


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The sabretooth tiger may have looked a fearsome sight with its massive canines but its reputation takes something of a knock with a new piece of research.
Scientists who have studied the extinct creature's skull in detail say it had a relatively weak bite - compared with, say, a modern lion.
And although those fangs must have been amazing killing implements, they made for a very restricted hunting strategy.
The scientists report their work in the journal PNAS.

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