Megantereon (Megantereon cultridens)

Order: Carnivora

Family: Felidae

About the size of a large leopard, Megantereon cultridens was a"dirk-toothed" cat that had long, flattened, nonserrated canines that may have been easily broken if sunk into struggling prey. How exactly Megantereon brought down prey is a topic of scientific debate. Skeletal studies indicate that Megantereon may have had a powerful build with well-developed forelimbs and was strong and capable enough to bring down relatively large prey. Perhaps they would use their strength to wrestle the prey into a position in which the soft part of the throat was exposed for penetration. The blade-like canines would have caused massive hemorrhaging as they ripped through the throat of an animal. Once the damage was done the prey may have been released and simply allowed to bleed to death.

The origins of Megantereon are uncertain, but fossil evidence indicates that they were well established by 3 million years ago. Fossils of the genus Megantereon have been found in Africa, Eurasia, and North America. The vast distribution of fossils indicates an adaptable predator existing in a wide variety of habitats. Fossil evidence from North America is mostly fragmentary, making it hard to determine whether all belong to the same species or multiple species are represented.

One of the most distinct featues of Megantereon is the presence of a mandibular flange in which the long canines would have been sheathed against when the jaws were closed. Other physiological differences included the presence of a longer neck and a shortened lumbar region of the spine. Otherwise Megantereon would have had an appearance similar to that of modern cats. Members of the genus Megantereon are likely ancestors of the recent, more well-known species of Smilodon, which existed during the late Pleistocene.