Fangs as sharp and strong as a stiletto blade were the stand-out feature of sabre-tooth cats tens of thousands of years ago. Their ability to puncture their prey’s skulls and thick hides with deep and deadly effect made them the apex mammalian predators of their day.
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Developing canine teeth of such length and relative robustness to enable them to take down the early ancestors of full-grown bison and not break apart was an evolutionary triumph.
But tooth development over the range of big cat species may have ultimately led to their demise. They may have achieved a degree of specialisation that could not adapt to changing climate and ecosystems, and the availability of suitable prey, at the end of the Ice Age.
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Scientists from Bristol University’s School of Earth Sciences, alongside colleagues from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, have been using computer models and steel 3D-printed replica teeth to conduct biting experiments and gain understanding of how these extraordinary dental modifications came about and how they performed for the animals over time.
Dr Tahlia Pollock, part of the Bristol Palaeobiology Research Group says: “Our study helps us better understand how extreme adaptations evolve - not just in sabre-toothed predators but across nature.
“By combining biomechanics and evolutionary theory, we can uncover how natural selection shapes animals to perform specific tasks.”
Previous to the study, it had been thought that sabre-teeth were found in two different forms in the prehistoric big cats – dirk-toothed (named after the traditional Scottish straight dagger) and scimitar-toothed (after the Middle Eastern curved sword).
However, another discovery by the researchers was that tooth shapes varied markedly from one species of cat to another and there was a wide spectrum of structures that seem to have related to the nature of their prey.
For example, Barbourofelis fricki, a type of early lion endemic to North America and Eurasia, livedalongside early rhinoceros, camels, horses and bears and had very long, curved teeth with fine serrations and a groove on the back side that kept the teeth light but strong.
Smilodon, famously known as the sabre-tooth tiger and one of the deadliest of all prehistoric cats, also had long, slender canines with hardly any serrations. It used these to tackle North and South American prey in the form of early llamas, wild pigs and even an ancient form of giant tortoise. Evidence has been found that the cat could bite through the latter’s armour to deliver a killing stab to the head.
Dinofelis barlowi, on the other hand - a species similar to a jaguar and inhabiting Europe, Asia and Africa - had shorter, straighter, teeth with courser serrations. It appears to have used its fangs on the less physically challenging early hominids.
These findings support other recent research that has indicated that prehistoric cats had a wider range of hunting strategies than had been previously thought.
Long term, these initial studies will pave the way to the study of all tooth types and additional knowledge about the circumstances and biomechanical trade-offs that have dictated dental structures in many more species of animals. In turn this could have applications in modern structures that are inspired by nature.
“The findings not only deepen our understanding of sabre-toothed predators but also have broader implications for evolutionary biology and biomechanics,” says Professor Alistair Evans, from the School of Biological Sciences at Monash University. “Insights from this research could even help inform bioinspired designs in engineering.”
