One of the best-known and most recent sabre-
tooth cats, Smilodon, was approximately
the size of a modern lion, Its massively
elongated canines were wide from
front to back, but were narrower
from side to side, giving them an
oval cross-section. The rear
edge of each canine was
serrated to cut through hide
and flesh more easily.
Smilodon'sjaws opened
extremely wide - to an angle
of 1200 - allowing the
animal to use its canines as
effective stabbing or slashing
weapons. The chest, shoulders and
neck were all heavily muscled to give
great power for its deadly lunges. The
cat may have sliced open the belly of a
larger victim, causing it to bleed to death,
or it could have severed the spinal cord or
windpipe of smaller prey.