Machairodontini: Difference between revisions
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{{Automatic taxobox |
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|fossil_range = [[Middle Miocene]] |
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|taxon = Machairodontini |
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|authority = [[Theodore Gill|Gill]], 1872 |
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|subdivision_ranks = Genera |
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|subdivision = |
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*†''[[Machairodus]]'' |
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*†''[[Miomachairodus]]'' |
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*†''[[Hemimachairodus]]'' |
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}} |
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'''Machairodontini''' is an extinct tribe of large [[saber-toothed cat]]s of the [[subfamily]] [[Machairodontinae]], that lived in [[Europe]], [[Asia]], [[Africa]], and [[North America]], during the late middle [[Miocene]]. |
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==Description== |
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Machairodont means "knife-tooth" which perfectly describes the species that make up Machairodontini. These predators are related to extant cats, the [[Felinae]], and share a common ancestor within the [[Felidae]] clade. Machairodontines were medium to large sized saber-toothed cats that would have reached a size rivaling [[Neontology|today]]'s [[lion]]s,<ref>Sotnikova, M. V. 1992. A new species of Machairodus from the late Miocene Kalmakpai locality in eastern Kazakhstan. Ann. Zool. Fennici. Vol. 28, p. 361-369</ref> which can reach weights of over {{convert|249.5|kg|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Nowak1999">{{Cite book |last=Nowak |first=R. M. |year=1999 |title=Walker's Mammals of the World |location=Baltimore |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |pages=832–834 |isbn=0-8018-5789-9}}</ref> This clade is also occasionally classified as being part of the [[Homotherini]], and includes genera such as ''[[Machairodus]]'', [[Hemimachairodus]] and ''[[Miomachairodus]]''.<ref name="Per 2013">{{cite journal |author=Christiansen, Per. |year=2013 |title=Phylogeny of the saber-toothed felids (Carnivora: Felidae: Machairodontinae) |journal=Cladistics |volume=29 |issue=5 |pages=543–559 |doi=10.1111/cla.12008}}</ref> They were first characterized by their [[scimitar]] canines in the upper jaw. This means that the canines are shorter and coarsely serrated, with vertical flattening.<ref>Martin, L. D., Babiarz, J. P., Naples, V. L., & Hearst, J. 2000. Three ways to be a saber-toothed cat. Naturwissenschaften, Vol. 87, Issue 1, p. 41-44</ref><ref name="Antón 2013">Antón, Mauricio. 2013. Machairodont adaptations and affinities of the Holarctic late Miocene homotherin Machairodus(Mammalia, Carnivora, Felidae): the case of Machairodus catocopis Cope, 1887. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Vol 33, Issue 5, p. 1202-1213.</ref> Although the upper canines are shorter than other more famous saber toothed cats such ''[[Smilodon]]'', they are still abnormally long in comparison to the rest of the teeth in the mandible. There is also a space separating the canines and premolars known as a [[diastema]]. The bottom portion of the jaw contains small incisors that are in a straight row with a large, lower canine.<ref>Sotnikova, M. V. 1992. A new species of Machairodus from the late Miocene Kalmakpai locality in eastern Kazakhstan. Ann. Zool. Fennici. Vol. 28, p. 361-369.</ref> These canines are not nearly as big as the upper canines. There is a diastema between the [[canine tooth|canines]] and the [[premolars]] in the lower jaw as well. |
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These prehistoric predators not only have long upper canine teeth but they also have elongated limb bones,<ref name="Antón 2013"/> which differ from the squatter legs of the other group of [[saber-toothed cats]], the [[Smilodontini]]. Although not many complete skeletons of machairodontine species have been found, those specimens known illustrate the long limb bones and shorter tails. The tails are of medium length and do not reach the ground as they do with cats today. |
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==Taxonomy== |
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Machairodontini was named by Gill (1872) as well as de Beaumont (1964). It was assigned to [[Machairodontinae]] by Berta and Galiano (1983).<ref>A. Berta and H. Galiano. 1983. Megantereon hesperus from the late Hemphillian of Florida with remarks on the phylogenetic relationships of machairodonts (Mammalia, Felidae, Machairodontinae). Journal of Paleontology 57(5):892-899</ref><ref>[http://taxonomicon.taxonomy.nl/TaxonTree.aspx?id=109077 Machairodontini], The Taxonomicon</ref> |
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===Classification=== |
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{|class="wikitable" |
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|+ style="text-align:left;" |Tribe [[Extinction|†]]Machairodontini |
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|- |
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! Genus !! Species !! Image |
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|- style="vertical-align:top;" |
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|†'''''[[Hemimachairodus]]''''' {{small|Koenigswald, 1974}} |
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||†''H. zwierzyckii'' |
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|- style="vertical-align:top;" |
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|†'''''[[Machairodus]]''''' {{small|Kaup, 1833}} |
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* †''M. alberdiae'' |
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* †''M. aphanistus'' |
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* †''M. horribilis'' |
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* †''M. laskerevi'' |
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* †''M. pseudaeluroides'' |
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* †''M. robinsoni'' |
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||[[File:Machairodus_aphanistus_male_skull_01-_Batallones_fossil_sites,_Torrejón_de_Velasco,_Madrid,_Spain.jpg|175px]] |
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|- style="vertical-align:top;" |
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|†'''''[[Miomachairodus]]''''' {{small|Schmidt-Kittler 1976}} |
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||†''M. pseudaeluroides'' |
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|} |
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===Phylogeny=== |
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The phylogenetic relationships of Machairodontini are shown in the following cladogram:<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=basicTaxonInfo&taxon_no=65494 |title=Paleobiology Database |access-date=2011-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325112136/http://www.paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=basicTaxonInfo&taxon_no=65494 |archive-date=2012-03-25 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Turner1990>{{cite journal |last=Turner |first=Alan |title=The evolution of the guild of larger terrestrial carnivores during the Plio-Pleistocene in Africa |journal=Geobios |year=1990 |volume=23 |issue=3 |pages=349–368 |doi=10.1016/0016-6995(90)80006-2}}</ref><ref name=Martinetal2000>{{cite journal |last=Martin |first=L. D. |author2=Babiarz, J. P. |author3=Naples, V. L. |author4=Hearst, J. |title=Three Ways To Be a Saber-Toothed Cat |journal=Naturwissenschaften |year=2000 |volume=87 |issue=1 |pages=41–44 |doi=10.1007/s001140050007 |pmid=10663132 |bibcode=2000NW.....87...41M}}</ref><ref name=Turner-1997>{{cite book |last=Turner |first=Alan |year=1997 |title=The Big Cats and their fossil relatives |publisher=Columbia University Press |location=New York |isbn=978-0-231-10228-5 |page=60 |url=https://archive.org/details/TheBigCatsAndTheirFossilRelativesAnIllustratedGuideToTheirEvolutionAndNaturalHistoryByAlanTurner}}</ref><ref name=Wallace-Hulbert-2013>{{Cite journal |last1=Wallace |first1=S. C. |last2=Hulbert |first2=R. C. |editor1-last=Larson |editor1-first=Greger |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0056173 |title=A New Machairodont from the Palmetto Fauna (Early Pliocene) of Florida, with Comments on the Origin of the Smilodontini (Mammalia, Carnivora, Felidae) |journal=PLoS ONE |volume=8 |issue=3 |pages=e56173 |year=2013 |pmid=23516394 |pmc=3596359}}</ref> |
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{{clade |style=font-size:85%;line-height:85%;background-color:#eeeeFF;border:1px solid; |
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|label1= †'''Machairodontini''' |
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|1={{clade |
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|label1= †''[[Machairodus]]'' |
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|1={{clade |
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|1=†''Machairodus alberdiae'' |
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|2=†''Machairodus aphanistus'' |
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|3=†''Machairodus horribilis'' |
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|4=†''Machairodus laskerevi'' |
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|5=†''Machairodus pseudaeluroides'' |
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|6=†''Machairodus robinsoni'' |
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}} |
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|label2= †''[[Miomachairodus]]'' |
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|2=†''Miomachairodus pseudaeluroides'' |
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|label3= †''[[Hemimachairodus]]'' |
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|3=†''Hemimachairodus zwierzyckii'' |
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}} }} |
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==Geologic and geographic distribution== |
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The earliest machairodontine is the genus [[Miomachairodus]] from the late middle Miocene in [[Turkey]].<ref name="Qiu 2003">Qiu, Zhanxiang. 2003. Dispersals of Neogene Carnivorans between Asia and North America. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, N. 279, p. 18-31.</ref> There are also species of the Machairodontini found in Africa from the [[late Miocene]] to the [[early Pleistocene]], in deposits such as Lothagam, Sahabi, and Langebaanweg.<ref>Turner, A. 1998. Climate and evolution: implications of some extinction patterns in African and European Machairodontine Cats of the Plio-Pleistocene. Estudios Geológicos, Vol. 54, Issue 5-6, p. 209.</ref> The Machairodontini moved East during the [[Vallesian]] (11.6-0.9 million years ago), when they entered [[Asia]] about 10 million years ago<ref name="Qiu 2003"/> and became one of the major predators of this time.<ref name="Antón et al. 2004">Antón, M., Salesa, M. J., Morales, J., & Turner, A. 2004. First known complete skulls of the scimitar-toothed cat ''Machairodus aphanistus'' (Felidae, Carnivora) from the Spanish Late Miocene site of Batallones-1. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Vol. 24, Issue 4, p. 957-969.</ref> |
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There were once also similarities between species found in North America and [[Eurasia]] that support an immigration event from Eurasia which took place before the late Miocene, at about the end of the early [[Hemphillian]] (~5 million years ago).<ref name="Antón 2013"/><ref name="Qiu 2003"/> The [[Old World]] (Europe/Africa/Asia) species ''[[Machairodus aphanistus]]'' and the [[New World]] (North and South America) species ''Machairodus catocopis'' (now know to belong to the genus ''Nimravides'') were once though to have been very closely related, suggesting that there was a migration and that these saber-toothed cats did radiate from Eurasia into North America.<ref name="Antón 2013"/> This made sense based on evolutionary similarities between North American and Eurasian species as well as the immigration of other species between these two continents at this time in Earth's history. However, this was disproven with discoveries that the [[Homotherini]] were not descended from the Machairodontini and that several species of Machairodontine, such as ''[[Nimravides catacopsis]]'', Homotherium and [[Amphimachairodus]] were revealed to be Homotherines.<ref>{{cite book |last=Anton |first=Mauricio |authorlink=Mauricio Anton |date=2013 |title=Sabertooth}}</ref> |
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==Evolutionary Relationships== |
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Previous analysis of the [[saber-toothed cats]] used [[Linnaean taxonomy|Linnaean]] classification based the morphology of the upper canines, which suggested that there were four tribes within the subfamily of [[Machairodontinae]]. These tribes include Machairodontini, Homotherini, Smildontini, and Matailurini seen in the cladogram of Machairodontinae. Then upon finding further fossils, Machairodontini was assigned to the [[Homotherini]] tribe. The Homotherini includes species such as ''[[Machairodus]]'', ''(M. aphanistus'' and ''M. giganteus''). These species are characterized by their scimitar teeth that make up the large upper canines. The Smildontini tribe includes species such as ''[[Paramachairodus]]'', ''[[Megantereon]]'', and [[Smilodon]]. These species have been characterized based on their longer, dagger-like teeth. The other tribe Matailurini includes species such as ''Matailurus'' and ''[[Dinofelis]]''. These have been classified by having teeth different than the previous two clades, the long serrated teeth and the long, dagger-like teeth. Unfortunately, there are few postcranial skeletons of saber-toothed cats preserved, so available phylogenetic characters are largely cranial. |
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New research published in 2013 took a different approach to elucidating the evolutionary relationships of [[saber-toothed cats]].<ref name="Per 2013" /> This approach used [[cladistic]] [[phylogeny]] instead of the previous [[Linnaean taxonomy|Linnaean]] classification. The results concluded the original four tribes could not be recovered by parsimony analysis because many of the [[synapomorphies]] of the saber toothed cats are based on other bones that the prominent, upper canines. |
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Workers now regocnize a clade for true saber toothed cats called Eumachairodontia that includes species from all of the previously proposed tribes: ''[[Megantereon]]'', ''[[Smilodon]]'', ''[[Amphimachairodus]]'', ''[[Homotherium]]'' and ''[[Xenosmilus]]''. The [[synapomorphy]] for the "true saber-toothed" clade Eumachairodontia is the hypertrophied, greatly flattened upper canines. The true machairodontines have a synapomorphy of flattened, small, lower canines and other bone variations such as the small upper first molar compared to basal, pre-saber toothed cats large, transversely situated upper first molar and large upper third premolar parastyle.<ref name="Per 2013"/> |
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==Morphology and Behavior== |
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The enlarged canines of these species were not only a unique morphological trait but also were used as a specialized hunting tool.<ref>Meloro, Carlo. 2013. Cats in the forest: predicting habitat adaptations from humerus morphometry in extant and fossil Felidae (Carnivora). Paleobiology, Vol. 39, Issue 3, p. 323 -344.</ref> It is proposed that the effective use of the specialized canines is the canine shear-bite. This is a model that shows how the teeth would bite the prey's neck or other convex area of the body, and use the upper jaw as an anchor to pull the teeth down through the skin and create large puncture wounds for blood loss and possibly tear a significant flesh wound.<ref name="Turner et al. 2011">{{cite journal |authors=Turner, A., Antón, M., Salesa, M. J., & Morales, J. |year=2011 |title=Changing ideas about the evolution and functional morphology of Machairodontine felids |journal=Estudios Geológicos |volume=67 |issue=2 |pages=255–276 |url=http://estudiosgeol.revistas.csic.es/index.php/estudiosgeol/article/viewFile/843/875}}</ref><ref>Piras, P., Malorino, L., Teresi, L., Meloro, C., Lucci, F., Kotsakis, T., & Raia, P. 2013. Bite of the cats: relationships between functional integration and mechanical performance as revealed by mandible geometry. Systematic Biology, Vol. 62, Issue 6., p. 878-900.</ref> The shearing bite as mentioned above would cause less tooth breakage when used in fast pursuit. |
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Some species within the Machairodontini show strong [[sexual dimorphism]], such as M. aphanistus, but other machairodonts, such as the smilodontin ''Paramachairodus'', display very slight [[sexual dimorphism]]. The canines of the males seem to be larger than the female canines. This could be due to mate competition for females.<ref name="Antón et al. 2004"/> The varied dimorphism does suggest that different species had different forms of lifestyles as how today's modern cats live.<ref name="Turner et al. 2011"/> |
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==See also== |
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* [[Big cat]] |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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{{Taxonbar|from=Q6723386}} |
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[[Category:Machairodontinae]] |
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[[Category:Miocene carnivorans]] |
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[[Category:Pliocene carnivorans]] |
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[[Category:Pleistocene carnivorans]] |
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[[Category:Miocene first appearances]] |
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[[Category:Pleistocene extinctions]] |
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Latest revision as of 21:29, 19 December 2023
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