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Saber-toothed predator
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Saber-toothed predator
A saber-tooth (alternatively spelled sabre-tooth) is any member of various extinct groups of predatory therapsids, predominantly carnivoran mammals, that are characterized by long, curved saber-shaped canine teeth which protruded from the mouth when closed.
Among the earliest animals that can be described as "sabertooths" were Middle-Late Permian (~274-252 million years ago) non-mammalian therapsids including the gorgonopsians as well as some basal therocephalians (lycosuchids and scylacisaurids).
Saber-toothed mammals have been found almost worldwide from the Eocene epoch to the early Holocene epoch (52.4 million years ago – 8,200 years ago). One of the best-known genera is the "saber-toothed cat" Smilodon, the species of which, especially S. fatalis, are popularly referred to as "saber-toothed tigers", although they are not closely related to tigers (Panthera), and are instead members of the extinct cat subfamily Machairodontinae (the true saber-toothed cats), most members of which had saber-teeth of varying lengths.
Despite some similarities, not all mammalian saber-tooths were closely related to saber-toothed cats or felids in-general. For example, many members are classified into different family of Feliformia, the Nimravidae; or from a separate order such as Machaeroides and Apataelurus, which are members of the order Oxyaenodonta, and one extinct lineage of metatherian mammals (related to marsupials), represented by the thylacosmilids of the order Sparassodonta. In this regard, these saber-toothed mammals can be viewed as examples of convergent evolution. This convergence is remarkable due not only to the development of elongated canines, but also a suite of other characteristics, such as a wide gape and bulky forelimbs, which is so consistent that it has been termed the "saber-tooth suite."
Among the feliform sabertooth lineages, the family Nimravidae is the oldest, with the oldest fossils dated to 42 Ma of the Eocene. Some sabertooth predators have been known to have lived in the same habitats as seen with basal therocephalians and gorgonopsians in Middle-Late Permian, as well as machairodonts and nimravids (specifically Barbourofelinae) in the Late Miocene.
The different groups of saber-toothed predators evolved their saber-toothed characteristics entirely independently. They are most known for having maxillary canines which extended down from the mouth when the mouth was closed.
The first saber-tooths to appear were non-mammalian synapsids, the gorgonopsians; they were one of the first groups of animals within Synapsida to experience the specialization of saber teeth, and many had long canines. The oldest definitive worldwide gorgonopsian fossil was found in Port des Canonge Formation of Mallorca in the western Mediterranean dating to earliest Wordian of the Middle Permian, although the stratigraphic position of the gorgonopsian, as well as surrounding fossil track record may suggest it is significantly older, potentially Roadian stage of the Middle Permian or even of the Kungurian or Artinskian stages of the Early Permian.
The second and third instances of sabertooth predators were presented by basal therocephalians (scylacosaurids and lycosuchids). The oldest known scylacosaurid, Eutheriodon, was found in the Eodicynodon Assemblage Zone, which dates to the Wordian stage. While earliest lycosuchid fossils were found in the Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone of the Capitanian stage of the Middle Permian, phylogeny suggests lycosuchids were the most basal therocephalians.
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Saber-toothed predator
A saber-tooth (alternatively spelled sabre-tooth) is any member of various extinct groups of predatory therapsids, predominantly carnivoran mammals, that are characterized by long, curved saber-shaped canine teeth which protruded from the mouth when closed.
Among the earliest animals that can be described as "sabertooths" were Middle-Late Permian (~274-252 million years ago) non-mammalian therapsids including the gorgonopsians as well as some basal therocephalians (lycosuchids and scylacisaurids).
Saber-toothed mammals have been found almost worldwide from the Eocene epoch to the early Holocene epoch (52.4 million years ago – 8,200 years ago). One of the best-known genera is the "saber-toothed cat" Smilodon, the species of which, especially S. fatalis, are popularly referred to as "saber-toothed tigers", although they are not closely related to tigers (Panthera), and are instead members of the extinct cat subfamily Machairodontinae (the true saber-toothed cats), most members of which had saber-teeth of varying lengths.
Despite some similarities, not all mammalian saber-tooths were closely related to saber-toothed cats or felids in-general. For example, many members are classified into different family of Feliformia, the Nimravidae; or from a separate order such as Machaeroides and Apataelurus, which are members of the order Oxyaenodonta, and one extinct lineage of metatherian mammals (related to marsupials), represented by the thylacosmilids of the order Sparassodonta. In this regard, these saber-toothed mammals can be viewed as examples of convergent evolution. This convergence is remarkable due not only to the development of elongated canines, but also a suite of other characteristics, such as a wide gape and bulky forelimbs, which is so consistent that it has been termed the "saber-tooth suite."
Among the feliform sabertooth lineages, the family Nimravidae is the oldest, with the oldest fossils dated to 42 Ma of the Eocene. Some sabertooth predators have been known to have lived in the same habitats as seen with basal therocephalians and gorgonopsians in Middle-Late Permian, as well as machairodonts and nimravids (specifically Barbourofelinae) in the Late Miocene.
The different groups of saber-toothed predators evolved their saber-toothed characteristics entirely independently. They are most known for having maxillary canines which extended down from the mouth when the mouth was closed.
The first saber-tooths to appear were non-mammalian synapsids, the gorgonopsians; they were one of the first groups of animals within Synapsida to experience the specialization of saber teeth, and many had long canines. The oldest definitive worldwide gorgonopsian fossil was found in Port des Canonge Formation of Mallorca in the western Mediterranean dating to earliest Wordian of the Middle Permian, although the stratigraphic position of the gorgonopsian, as well as surrounding fossil track record may suggest it is significantly older, potentially Roadian stage of the Middle Permian or even of the Kungurian or Artinskian stages of the Early Permian.
The second and third instances of sabertooth predators were presented by basal therocephalians (scylacosaurids and lycosuchids). The oldest known scylacosaurid, Eutheriodon, was found in the Eodicynodon Assemblage Zone, which dates to the Wordian stage. While earliest lycosuchid fossils were found in the Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone of the Capitanian stage of the Middle Permian, phylogeny suggests lycosuchids were the most basal therocephalians.
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