Everything about Dinofelis totally explained
Dinofelis ("terrible cat") is a genus of
saber-toothed cats belonging to the tribe
Metailurini. They were widespread in
Europe,
Asia,
Africa and
North America at least 5 million to about 1.4 million years ago (Early
Pliocene to Early
Pleistocene). Fossils very similar to
Dinofelis from
Lothagam range back to the
Late Miocene, some 8 million years ago.
Description and ecology
In size they were between a modern
leopard and a
lion, most being about the size of a
jaguar (70 cm tall), medium-sized but powerful cats that possessed two prominent sabre teeth. They lived in forests and open woodlands across the world.
Dinofelis were lone hunters, which would stalk their prey carefully before pouncing and swiftly killing it with the sharp claws.
The front limbs of
Dinofelis were particularly strong and muscular, allowing it to pin struggling prey to the ground. Its short sabre-teeth could have been used to help deliver fatal wounds, especially to the neck region.
Dinofelis is known as a "false saber-tooth" cat because, instead of true saber-teeth, these cats had what appears to be a cross between long, flat saber-teeth and the cone-shaped teeth of the modern-day felines. The
canine teeth of
Dinofelis are flattened and only moderately long compared to the true sabertooths. The upper canines are relatively longer than in the extant
snow leopard though. While the lower canines are robust, the cheek teeth are not nearly as robust as the lion and other neofelids.
Dinofelis fossils and bones have been found in
South Africa along with those of the
baboons that it possibly killed. Bones from several specimens of
Dinofelis and
baboons were found in a natural trap.
Dinofelis may have entered the place to feed on trapped animals or may have simply wandered into a location and wasn't able to escape again.
Dinofelis was very successful, and its fossils have been found all over the world (Europe, Asia, North America and Africa). However, it's its association with African
hominids that really interests scientists. Several fossils sites from South Africa seem to show that
Dinofelis was very fond of hunting
Australopithecus afarensis.
It is thought that the gradual disappearance of the forests in which
Dinofelis hunted may have contributed to its extinction at the start of the
ice age.
Species
Other undescribed species may exist.
Footntoes
Further Information
Get more info on 'Dinofelis'.
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