The Other Saber-Tooths: Scimitar-Tooth Cats of the Western Hemisphere

Abstract

Like the better-known Smilodon, or saber-tooth cat, the scimitar-tooth cats of the New World were fierce predators that killed and consumed the largest of North America's species. This volume synthesizes all currently known information about the scimitar-tooth s.Scimitar-tooth cats had serrated teeth that were shorter and stouter than those of Smilodon. Using a mix of new research and previously published accounts, the contributors examine all aspects of the natural history of these extinct cats. They reconstruct what scimitar-tooth cats might have looked like, discuss how they captured and killed prey, and describe their worldwide distribution and how they interacted with other, non-prey animals. Highly detailed descriptions reveal the biology of these cats, provide bone-by-bone comparisons of them to Smilodon and other cat-like carnivores, explain how they originated, and set them in an evolutionary context.Richly illustrated and featuring the latest information on scimitar-tooth cats of the New World, The Other Saber-tooths is an engaging and comprehensive collection of information about these fascinating felines that will appeal to paleontologists and anyone else interested in the prehistoric world.