Machairodus Giganteus by Ghirin

Machairodus was a genus of large saber-toothed cats found in Eurasia, Africa and North America. These sabertooths thrived over the period covered by the mid-Miocene to the mid-Pliocene (15 to 2 million).

Machairodus giganteus, the size of a modern lion or tiger, was the largest and most specialized member the genus in Eurasia. Its skull was longer and narrower than a modern lion and the teeth had serrations along the edges.; in addition, M. giganteus also had longer legs than some other species of Machairodus. There was a small flange on either side of the chin to provide support for the sabers when the mouth was closed.

It lived in mixed habitats of savannah and broadleaf evergreen trees and might have had a lifestyle similar to that of modern lions. M. giganteus also might have had a tawny brown coat to help it blend in with its surroundings.

Referrences:

Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives by Anton, Clark and Turner, 2000.

Mammoths, Sabertooths and Hominids by Agusti and Anton, 2002.

http://www.bluelion.org/lowgraphmachairodus.htm

Created by Ghirin 2003