RT Journal Article
T1 Comparing cranial biomechanics between Barbourofelis fricki and Smilodon fatalis: Is there a universal killing-bite among saber-toothed predators?
A1 Figueirido-Castillo, Francisco Borja
A1 Tucker, Shane
A1 Lautenschlager, Stephan
K1 Craneo
K1 Vertebrados - Evolución
AB Saber-tooths, extinct apex predators with long and blade-like upper canines,have appeared iteratively at least five times in the evolutionary history of verte brates. Although saber-tooths exhibit a relatively diverse range of morphol ogies, it is widely accepted that all killed their prey using the same predatorybehavior. In this study, we CT-scanned the skull of Barbourofelis fricki andcompared its cranial mechanics using finite element analysis (FEA) with thatof Smilodon fatalis. Our aim was to investigate potential variations in killingbehavior between two dirk-toothed sabretooths from the Miocene and Pleisto cene of North America. The study revealed that B. fricki had a stoutly-builtskull capable of withstanding stress in various prey-killing scenarios, while theskull of S. fatalis appeared less optimized for supporting stress, which high lights the highly derived saber-tooth morphology of the former. The resultsmay indicate that B. fricki was more of a generalist in prey-killing compared toS. fatalis, which experiences lower stresses under stabbing loads. We hypothe size that morphological specialization in saber-tooths does not necessarily indi cate ecological specialization. Our results support the notion thatmorphological convergence among saber-toothed cats may obscure differencesin hunting strategies employed to dispatch their prey. Our findings challengethe assumption of the universally assumed canine-shear biting as the prey killing behavior of all saber-toothed cats. However, further research involvinga wider range of dirk and scimitar-toothed forms could provide additionalinsights into the diversity of cranial biomechanics within this fascinatinggroup of extinct mammalian predators.
PB Wiley
YR 2024
FD 2024-03
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/31032
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/31032
LA eng
NO Figueirido, B., Tucker, S., & Lautenschlager, S. (2024). Comparing cranial biomechanics between Barbourofelis fricki and Smilodon fatalis: Is there a universal killing-bite among saber-toothed predators? The Anatomical Record, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25451
NO Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBUA
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 4 mar 2026