Pneumothorax as a predatory goal for the sabertooth cat ( Smilodon fatalis)

Abstract

Smilodon fatalis was a large extinct felid distin-guished by their two impressive maxillary ca-nines and surprisingly low canine fracture rates. Previous theories regarding their attack strategy have suggested delivering damage by a bite with their maxillary canines. It has also been previously suggested that the canines could have been used to deliver a non-biting stab with an open jaw. It has been generally hypothesized that the attack was delivered to the neck of their large herbivore prey. Smilodon fatalis could have used their ca-nines in a non-biting stab delivered with a closed jaw for the sole purpose of creating a pneumo-thorax. Creation of a pneumothorax would maxi-mize immediate attack lethality, and minimize ex-posure of its canines to fracture.