tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407486920844354583.post1778946934539931422..comments2023-12-20T07:40:56.484+00:00Comments on Raptor's Nest: Jaw biomechanics of Smilodon fatalisRaptor's Nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01451618880276065935noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407486920844354583.post-76383220177930202192008-02-25T12:19:00.000+00:002008-02-25T12:19:00.000+00:00I wonder if the Smilodon used a combination of it'...I wonder if the Smilodon used a combination of it's teeth as a stabbing action combined with the neck muscles to create a rip/tear motion similar to the action of old-fashioned tin openers.<BR/><BR/>this would devestate any prey, who would suffer trauma and go into shock quite quickly. Contrast this with lions and tigers which use the throat hold to suffocate prey and therefore also hunt in packs.<BR/><BR/>My understanding is that Smilodon would have had to be an ambush type of hunter and therefore more likely to be solitary or in pairs.<BR/><BR/>Also as has been discussed here they teeth could have been entirely for sexual attraction and were used to display by males to subdue one another and so gain the sexual favour of the female/s.<BR/><BR/>Similar to the purpose of tusks on walruses.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17085818179740664692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407486920844354583.post-74394803256839725242008-01-14T16:29:00.000+00:002008-01-14T16:29:00.000+00:00I would not rule out the possibility of sexual sel...I would not rule out the possibility of sexual selection for canine size. However, then you would expect a big difference in canine size between males and females but this has never been found. Extant lions do differ between sexes regarding canine size, but sexual selection is not the driving force. I believe it is for territory purposes. <BR/><BR/>I have done research on sabertooths and bite force. <BR/><BR/>Regards, BasUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06889474203931836146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407486920844354583.post-81461560323373449052007-10-24T20:32:00.000+01:002007-10-24T20:32:00.000+01:00Oops, the tiger skull turned out to be a lion skul...Oops, the tiger skull turned out to be a lion skull...damn mislabels...Raptor's Nest (old)https://www.blogger.com/profile/11093451947295359924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407486920844354583.post-57560859504641995212007-07-25T14:27:00.000+01:002007-07-25T14:27:00.000+01:00I was at the ICVM8 in Paris where Blair van Valken...I was at the ICVM8 in Paris where Blair van Valkengurgh delivered a talk on the cranial morphological differences in cat skulls and sabre-tooths. Apparently, <I>Smilodon</I> and kins have an extreme condition where the rostrum is upturned. She suspected that sabre-tooths probably were fast killers. I'd imagine this would be a devastating bite to the throat quickly slicing through the trachea...which modern cats tend to take time in doing - apparently, they more or less don't puncture the skin and only suffocate their prey.Raptor's Nest (old)https://www.blogger.com/profile/11093451947295359924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407486920844354583.post-67773800569195875612007-06-30T17:10:00.000+01:002007-06-30T17:10:00.000+01:00That's a very interesting thought. It could be pos...That's a very interesting thought. It could be possible as sexual selection is a very strong selective pressure.Raptor's Nest (old)https://www.blogger.com/profile/11093451947295359924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407486920844354583.post-1433490272662079972007-06-29T23:31:00.000+01:002007-06-29T23:31:00.000+01:00Could saber-teeth have a social display function, ...Could saber-teeth have a social display function, like baboons today? In this sense, saber-teeth could just be the feline answer to antlers. Sexual selection has an enormous impact on body shape. Look at ceratopsians--their entire head, and thus their immobile neck and drop to all fours, was the result of sexual selection on horn and frill length (and complexity).Zachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08692080707969333711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407486920844354583.post-58852375638494599012007-06-29T14:18:00.000+01:002007-06-29T14:18:00.000+01:00Do modern animals with tusks like walruses show th...Do modern animals with tusks like walruses show that behavior?Raptor's Nest (old)https://www.blogger.com/profile/11093451947295359924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407486920844354583.post-89949461750768918972007-06-26T17:27:00.000+01:002007-06-26T17:27:00.000+01:00Interesting stuff; I'm quite curious myself as to ...Interesting stuff; I'm quite curious myself as to exactly how these cats used their teeth and jaws. I also have to wonder about the possible role of sexual selection in the lengthening of teeth over time; while the cats would still have to retain the ability to bite and tear prey, I can't help but wonder what role mate selection might have had in relation to "saber" size.Laelapshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00920782525196396058noreply@blogger.com