Nimravidae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nimravidae |
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†Nimravidae
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The Nimravidae were an extinct group of cat-like mammals. They belonged to the Carnivora order, which includes many meat-eating animals. These amazing creatures lived on Earth a very long time ago. They roamed from about 42 to 20 million years ago.
You could find them in places like North America, Europe, and Asia. They existed for about 22 million years.
Even though some nimravids looked a lot like the famous sabre-toothed cats, such as Smilodon, they were not closely related. Instead, they developed similar body shapes and teeth because they faced similar challenges. This is called parallel evolution. It means different animals can evolve similar features even if they are not close relatives.
The ancestors of nimravids and modern cats separated from a common ancestor about 50 million years ago. Most nimravids had strong, low-slung bodies, much like a cat's. However, their legs and tails were usually shorter than those of today's cats.
Their Unique Teeth
Some nimravids developed very large, flat upper canines. These teeth looked like sabres. They also had strong lower jaws. Other nimravids had teeth more like modern cats, with smaller canines.
Some had canines that were somewhere in between. These differences in teeth likely meant they hunted their prey in different ways.
Nimravids not only had different tooth styles, but they also came in many sizes and shapes. Some were about the size of a leopard. Others were as big as today's lions and tigers. One type even had a short face, a rounded skull, and smaller canines, much like a modern cheetah.
Images for kids
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Restoration of Dinictis and Protoceras by Charles R. Knight
See also
In Spanish: Nimrávidos para niños
