Smilodon was the largest saber-tooth cat (popularly known as the sabre tooth tiger). It was a fierce predator about 1.5 – 2,3 metres long (4 feet – 7 feet) and 1.2 metres (3 feet) tall. It weighed about 400 kg (882 lbs). It was a bit smaller than a modern-day lion but much heavier.
Its front legs were especially powerful and its body was adapted for springing onto prey, but it was not a very fast runner and could not be adapted for chasing after fast running prey like deer. It could hunt some slower animals such as ground sloths and early humans.
Its skull had 2 huge saber-like canine teeth and these were serrated, and up to 18 cm long (8 inches). Smilodon had powerful jaws that opened to an angle of about 120 degrees while on the other hand, today’s lions can only open their jaws at 65 degrees.
Smilodon also had very strong jaw and neck muscles to stab prey with its deadly canine sabre teeth. Its front incisor teeth may also have been used to wrip away strips of flesh from the bones of its prey.
