DOI: 10.1017/s0094837300006813. Functional analysis of sabertooth cranial morphology

Functional analysis of sabertooth cranial morphology

10.1017/s0094837300006813

Crossref journal-article

Cambridge University Press (CUP)

Paleobiology (56)

Abstract

Elongate canines evolved independently at least four times among mammalian carnivores, and each time skulls were modified in similar ways. We have compared the cranial morphology of sabertooths to that of their non-sabertoothed relatives, living and extinct, and applied simple biomechanical models to elucidate the functional significance of the morphological differences. Our analysis suggests that (1) sabertooth morphology represents modification for wider gape with retention of a powerful bite force at the carnassial; (2) sabertooths probably used a throat or ventral neck slash to kill prey; and (3) elongate canines and retractile claws may have facilitated the exploitation of relatively larger prey by sabertooths compared to non-sabertooth carnivores.

Bibliography

Emerson, S. B., & Radinsky, L. (1980). Functional analysis of sabertooth cranial morphology. Paleobiology, 6(3), 295â312.

Authors 2

Sharon B. Emerson (first)
Leonard Radinsky (additional)

References 27 Referenced 181

10.1111/j.1439-0310.1965.tb01504.x
10.2307/3231954
{'key': 'S0094837300006813_ref14', 'first-page': '289', 'article-title': 'The phylogeny of the Felidae', 'volume': '28', 'author': 'Matthew', 'year': '1910', 'journal-title': 'Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist.'} / Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. / The phylogeny of the Felidae by Matthew (1910)
10.1016/0003-9969(75)90046-1
{'key': 'S0094837300006813_ref25', 'first-page': '1', 'article-title': 'The function of saber-like canines in carnivorous mammals', 'volume': '1130', 'author': 'Simpson', 'year': '1941', 'journal-title': 'Am. Mus. Novitates.'} / Am. Mus. Novitates. / The function of saber-like canines in carnivorous mammals by Simpson (1941)
{'key': 'S0094837300006813_ref21', 'first-page': '480', 'volume-title': 'The Serengeti Lion', 'author': 'Schaller', 'year': '1972'} / The Serengeti Lion by Schaller (1972)
10.5962/p.226703 / Ann. Carnegie Mus. / A problematical cat-like mandible from the Uinta Eocene, Apataelurus kayi, Scott by Scott (1938)
10.1086/283325
10.1017/S0094837300004966
{'key': 'S0094837300006813_ref27', 'first-page': '388', 'volume-title': 'Development, Function and Evolution of Teeth', 'author': 'Turnbull', 'year': '1978'} / Development, Function and Evolution of Teeth by Turnbull (1978)
{'key': 'S0094837300006813_ref2', 'first-page': '11', 'article-title': 'The sabre-toothed tigers once more', 'volume': '32', 'author': 'Bohlin', 'year': '1947', 'journal-title': 'Bull. Geol. Inst. Upsala.'} / Bull. Geol. Inst. Upsala. / The sabre-toothed tigers once more by Bohlin (1947)
{'key': 'S0094837300006813_ref18', 'first-page': '138', 'article-title': 'Coexistence in Transvaal Carnivora', 'volume': '6', 'author': 'Rautenbach', 'year': '1978', 'journal-title': 'Bull. Carnegie Mus. Nat.'} / Bull. Carnegie Mus. Nat. / Coexistence in Transvaal Carnivora by Rautenbach (1978)
10.5479/si.00963801.96-3202.335
{'key': 'S0094837300006813_ref1', 'first-page': '156', 'article-title': 'Food habit of the machaerodonts, with special regard to Smilodon', 'volume': '28', 'author': 'Bohlin', 'year': '1940', 'journal-title': 'Bull. Geol. Inst. Upsala.'} / Bull. Geol. Inst. Upsala. / Food habit of the machaerodonts, with special regard to Smilodon by Bohlin (1940)
{'key': 'S0094837300006813_ref3', 'first-page': '159', 'article-title': 'Un félidé à longues canines de la colline de Perrier (Puy-de-Dôme): ses rapports avec les félinés machairodontes', 'volume': '62', 'author': 'Bonis', 'year': '1976', 'journal-title': 'Ann. Paléontol.'} / Ann. Paléontol. / Un félidé à longues canines de la colline de Perrier (Puy-de-Dôme): ses rapports avec les félinés machairodontes by Bonis (1976)
{'key': 'S0094837300006813_ref4', 'first-page': '27', 'article-title': 'Sabre-toothed tigers', 'volume': '17', 'author': 'Ewer', 'year': '1954', 'journal-title': 'New Biology.'} / New Biology. / Sabre-toothed tigers by Ewer (1954)
10.1016/0003-9969(78)90297-2
{'key': 'S0094837300006813_ref5', 'first-page': '494', 'volume-title': 'The Carnivores', 'author': 'Ewer', 'year': '1973'} / The Carnivores by Ewer (1973)
10.1002/aja.1001540410
10.1086/282934
{'key': 'S0094837300006813_ref11', 'first-page': '1', 'article-title': 'The Chinese Hipparion fauna', 'volume': '13', 'author': 'Kurtén', 'year': '1952', 'journal-title': 'Comment. Biol. (Soc. Sci. Fennica).'} / Comment. Biol. (Soc. Sci. Fennica). / The Chinese Hipparion fauna by Kurtén (1952)
{'key': 'S0094837300006813_ref15', 'first-page': '3', 'article-title': 'The Felidae of Rancho la Brea', 'volume': '422', 'author': 'Merriam', 'year': '1932', 'journal-title': 'Carnegie Inst. Washington. Publ. No.'} / Carnegie Inst. Washington. Publ. No. / The Felidae of Rancho la Brea by Merriam (1932)
{'key': 'S0094837300006813_ref16', 'first-page': '9', 'article-title': 'A new hypothesis to explain the method of food ingestion used by Smilodon californicus Bovard', 'volume': '12', 'author': 'Miller', 'year': '1969', 'journal-title': 'Tebiwa.'} / Tebiwa. / A new hypothesis to explain the method of food ingestion used by Smilodon californicus Bovard by Miller (1969)
10.2307/1377891
10.2307/1005507
{'key': 'S0094837300006813_ref22', 'first-page': '1', 'article-title': 'A new tribe of saber-toothed cats (Barbourofelini) from the Pliocene of North America', 'volume': '9', 'author': 'Schultz', 'year': '1970', 'journal-title': 'Bull. Univ. Nebraska State Mus.'} / Bull. Univ. Nebraska State Mus. / A new tribe of saber-toothed cats (Barbourofelini) from the Pliocene of North America by Schultz (1970)
{'key': 'S0094837300006813_ref10', 'first-page': '125', 'article-title': 'The habits and adaptation of the Oligocene saber tooth carnivore, Hoplophoneus', 'author': 'Hough', 'year': '1949', 'journal-title': 'U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap.'} / U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. / The habits and adaptation of the Oligocene saber tooth carnivore, Hoplophoneus by Hough (1949)

Dates

Type	When
Created	9 years, 1 month ago (July 27, 2016, 1:44 a.m.)
Deposited	2 years ago (Aug. 19, 2023, 6:23 a.m.)
Indexed	1 month, 1 week ago (July 22, 2025, 7:16 a.m.)
Issued	45 years, 8 months ago (Jan. 1, 1980)
Published	45 years, 8 months ago (Jan. 1, 1980)
Published Online	9 years, 6 months ago (Feb. 8, 2016)
Published Print	45 years, 8 months ago (Jan. 1, 1980)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Emerson_1980, title={Functional analysis of sabertooth cranial morphology}, volume={6}, ISSN={1938-5331}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0094837300006813}, DOI={10.1017/s0094837300006813}, number={3}, journal={Paleobiology}, publisher={Cambridge University Press (CUP)}, author={Emerson, Sharon B. and Radinsky, Leonard}, year={1980}, pages={295–312} }

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