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Thylacosmilus facts for kids

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Thylacosmilus
Temporal range: Miocene – Pliocene
Thylacosmilus Atrox.jpg
Thylacosmilus atrox
Field Museum of Natural History
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Infraclass:
Metatheria
Order:
Sparassodonta
Family:
Thylacosmilidae
Genus:
Thylacosmilus

Riggs, 1933

Thylacosmilus is a extinct genus of carnivorous sparassodont. found as fossils in deposits dated from about 10 million to 3 million years ago (late Miocene to late Pliocene epoch) in Argentina, South America.

Thylacosmilus was sabre-toothed and was about as large as a modern jaguar. To a remarkable degree, Thylacosmilus paralleled the evolution of felid sabre-toothed cats like Smilodon. Its canine teeth were long and powerfully developed; they were used for stabbing prey. Its killing method was to hold its prey, and make deep bites into the soft tissue driven by powerful neck muscles. The canine teeth were protected by a well-developed flange, or projecting edge, in the chin region of the lower jaw. The canines continued to grow during adult life, which they do not in marsupials or placental mammals.

Thylacosmilus died out during the late Pliocene, whereas saber-toothed cats did not get to South America until the middle Pleistocene epoch. As a result, the last appearance of Thylacosmilus is separated from the first appearance of Smilodon by over one and a half million years.

Images for kids

  • Thylacosmilus Holotype FMNH

    Partally reconstructed holotype skull, Field Museum of Natural History

  • Thylacosmilus atrox holotype skull

    Holotype skull in multiple views

  • Megantereon and Thylacosmilus skulls compared

    Comparison of the skulls of the two saber toothed mammals Megantereon and Thylacosmilus

  • Sabertoothed predators size comparison (all 6 groups)

    Size (orange) compared to that of a human and other predators

  • Craniodental details of Thylacosmilus

    Details in the skull and teeth, compared with Megantereon

  • Thylacosmilus atrox skull

    Skull cast mounted with open jaws, North American Museum of Ancient Life

  • Thylacosmilus 3D model

    Restoration

  • Thylacosmilus vertebrae

    Vertebrae

  • Tylacosmilus DB

    Restoration of the head

  • Canines of Smilodon and Thylacosmilus

    CT scans of the skulls of Smilodon and Thylacosmilus, showing the extent of the canines (red) within the jaw, with Thylacosmilus skull in side and front view below

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Thylacosmilus para niños

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