Big bite ... Thylacoleo carnifex /AAP
Posted on 04/02/2005 6:50:29 AM PST by yankeedame
Aussie lion beats all in bite test
April 02, 2005
From: AAP
A MARSUPIAL lion that roamed Australia during the Ice Age had the most powerful bite of any known animal in the world, living or extinct, an Australian and Canadian research team has discovered.
More closely related to a wombat than an African lion, the 100 kilo marsupial lion known as Thylacoleo carnifex could out bite the sabre-toothed tiger, the bone-cracking spotted hyena and the Tasmanian Devil. The researchers compared the bite force of the marsupial lion to 38 different species, living and extinct, and found that its jaws were much stronger than any other species for its size.
The team, Colin McHenry of the University of Newcastle, Dr Stephen Wroe of the University of Sydney and Professor Jeffrey Thomason of the University of Guelph in Ontario, published their findings in an online paper for the Proceedings of the Royal Society Series.
"From measurements of skull dimensions we predicted bite force in a wide range of mammalian carnivores," Dr Wroe, a University of Sydney palaeontologist, said.
"I had a hunch the marsupial lion would have a very powerful bite, but we were surprised at just how hard they were biting given their size.
"A good sized marsupial lion could weigh up to 130 kilos - the size of a front row rugby forward."
Related to wombats and koalas, Thylacoleo carnifex is referred to as the marsupial lion because of its robust, cat like appearance, and was capable of grasping its prey with strong semi-opposable thumb claws.
Combined with its powerful jaws and huge incisor teeth, the marsupial lion was the largest mammalian predator in Australia during the Ice Age period and became extinct some time within the last 45,000 years.
"Its biggest prey would have been the Diprotodon, a gigantic wombat-like creature that could weigh over three tonnes," Dr Wroe said.
"Using the same methods we have applied to measure the bite force of the marsupial lion, we can also estimate or predict the maximum prey size of living species."
A wombat bit my sister once.
That's no cuddly koala, pong
Caption: "I got's some 'crooked teeth' for ya!"
Seriously, it looks more like a gigantic killer weasel!
I have often wondered if the loss of the big animals is related to the reduction of available biomass in the biosphere. The dinosaurs were very big, then animals seemed to just keep getting smaller in average overall mass.
Now that we are freeing some of that trapped biomass by driving SUVs, will we see the overall average size of animals start to creep up? ((it's happening to me already!) Has anyone ever calculated what percentage of the planetary biomass is (or was) trapped in fossil fuels?
^
Meekie, see the picture. Viking Kitty material?
LJ!!!
It's an evil wombat!
From the article:
"More closely related to a wombat than an African lion, the 100 kilo marsupial lion known as Thylacoleo carnifex could out bite the sabre-toothed tiger, the bone-cracking spotted hyena and the Tasmanian Devil."
Them wombats sure is cute.
But, since a pouch is soft tissue, how do they know it was a 'marsupial'?
Dang, is that real???
ping
I may be mistaken but every native, Australian mammal is a marsupial.
Meekie, see the picture. Viking Kitty material?Hmmmm. Yeah, maybe. I saved in in my VK/ZOT
file as "AustralianThylacoleoCarnifex".Maybe I could make another "I have no idea
what your talking about" pancake pic. :)Thanks.
Marsupial lion is seen here dressed as an Emperor penguin.
Not sure about that, but I know Australia is home to some rather odd critters! (No, I'm not talking about FReepers :)
Animals like the egg-laying duck billed platypus and the spiny anteater.
Both of them are mammals, but I can't remember if they're marsupial or not....guess I need to Google it!
Is he da one playing Ross in Friends? They ate their mammas? Dr Wroeng sure has a big measuring stick. Must be one heluva smart doktor if he can figer out them mammalions.
"I had a hunch the marsupial lion would have a very powerful bite, but we were surprised at just how hard they were biting given their size.
Like how? Like they ate everything and then they like died - there was no more eatin left? They ate all them dinoSoroses, but couldn't catch the cucaratchas and rats?
"A good sized marsupial lion could weigh up to 130 kilos - the size of a front row rugby forward."
Like WoW! So how many kilos wuz his bites?
Related to wombats and koalas, Thylacoleo carnifex is referred to as the marsupial lion because of its robust, cat like appearance, and was capable of grasping its prey with strong semi-opposable thumb claws.
Must be them bad relatives. I don't want no worm-bats and coal-ass relatives like Thylaco Leo Car Nofix had, no siree!<
Combined with its powerful jaws and huge incisor teeth, the marsupial lion was the largest mammalian predator in Australia during the Ice Age period and became extinct some time within the last 45,000 years.
Yep, remember like it like it wus today. It was so hugh, seriesly! Jus too bad they was no SUVs to heat up the ice age. Too many mammalian envirowakos in them days.
"Its biggest prey would have been the Diprotodon, a gigantic wombat-like creature that could weigh over three tonnes," Dr Wroe said.
Yea, but it tasted like sheeet and it smeeeeled! I gues the old Dip-roto-don wusn't too smart, must benn one of them giant dummyRATs. So sorry!
"Using the same methods we have applied to measure the bite force of the marsupial lion, we can also estimate or predict the maximum prey size of living species."
Dear Doc, for your next study please study why so big prey size, why so stupid? Too many vegetables? Hope next time you be Dr Dr. Seriesly!
Impressive pic.Intimidating chompers.
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