How a Smilodon sabretooth cat closed its gaping mouth

BBC ^ | February 25, 2011 | Victoria Gill

[decimon]

The mystery of how prehistoric sabretoothed cats coped with their oversized teeth has been solved in part by a new analysis of the cats' jaws.

To impale prey with these impressive weapons, the famous sabretoothed cats must have opened their mouths wider than any modern big cat, but it was unclear if their jaw muscles were strong enough to do it.

Now the new analysis reveals that the cats' jaw muscles evolved into a specialised pattern, which allowed them to open their mouths so wide.

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But Smilodon would also have done something that every cat-owner can see a relic of in their own pet.

"When you put a piece of food on the floor for your cat, you'll see it bobs its head forward as it eats it," he explained.

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[SunkenCiv]

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[wendy1946]

How a Smilodon sabretooth cat closed its gaping mouth?

With an evolutionist inside it. They mostly ate evolutionists.