Megantereon

Reconstruction of the saber-toothed cat Megantereon

• Africa (South Africa, East Africa)
• Asia (India, China)
• Europe (England, Seneze, France; Untermaßfeld, Germany )
• North America

• Megantereon cultridens
• Megantereon whitei
• Megantereon falconeri

Megantereon was a genus of extinct saber-toothed cats ( Machairodontinae ) from the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Occasionally it is also referred to as " European saber-toothed cat," which is misleading in two respects, as it was not limited to Europe, and also his other saber-toothed cats inhabited this continent. Remains were found in Africa, Europe, Asia and North America.

Features

On the whole appearance of this saber-toothed cat was very similar to their descendants, the American Smilodon. However Megantereon did not reach the dimensions of which by far. In Senèze, a hamlet near Brioude in France, in addition to a well-preserved skeleton of Homotherium also a complete skeleton of Megantereon was salvaged. This animal had a shoulder height of about 70 cm and about the size of a modern jaguar. However, the bones were still moderate, suggesting a very muscular physique. The forelimbs were as large as that of today's lions, the hind limbs were comparatively weaker, which a sloping backline contingent. Megantereon was particularly pronounced, flap-like tooth on the lower jaw sheaths that should probably protect the long canines. Megantereon had a short tail, much like today's lynx.

The largest of the genus lived in India and were partially estimated to be about 90-150 kg, with an average weight of around 120 kg. Medium Megantereon are known from the rest of Eurasia and the Pliocene of Europe. The smallest forms are from North America, Africa and the lower Pleistocene of Europe and were previously estimated to be only about 55-70 kg. However, these estimates were based on the size comparison of the fangs with those of today's cats. Assuming, however, the body skeleton as a basis of comparison leads to significantly higher estimates. Thus, even minor forms of Megantereon weighed about 100 kg. In accor -drying with these findings is given Megantereon of the lower Pleistocene of Europe in recent publications with about 100-160 kg. Large forms should have been even more severe.

Species, finds and dissemination

Until recently it was assumed Megantereon had appeared for the first time about 4-5 million years ago in North America and from there passes into the Old World, where the species is first detected prior to 3-3.5 million years ago in Africa. However, recent findings from Africa, which probably represent Megantereon, are 5.7 and 7 million years ago, however, significantly older. Therefore, the new finds in favor of an origin of the genus in the Late Miocene of Africa. In North America showed the infamous saber-tooth tiger Smilodon from Megantereon. While Smilodon but disappeared at the end of the Pleistocene, Megantereon died out in the mid- Pleistocene. In East Africa, the recent finds are about 1.5 million years old, from South Africa, she is from the reference Elandsfontein, which dates to 700000-400000 years, proven. A finding from the Thuringian Untermaßfeld shows that this cat was native to Central Europe or 900,000 years ago. This is the latest proof of Megantereon in Europe. In Asia Megantereon survived until about 500,000 years ago, where the genus together with Homo erectus appeared on the well-known Chinese reference of Zhoukoudian.

It is not entirely clear whether it was at Megantereon to several types or to a single. The previously found Eurasian and African forms appear with some certainty to all belong to the type Meganteron cultridens. In the American species can not be said with certainty that, since most discoveries are very incomplete here. Due to the extreme differences in size and different characteristics in different regions and eras Zahnbau contrast, three distinct species have been proposed. Megantereon cultridens from North America, Asia and the European Pliocene, Megantereon whitei from Africa and the European Lower Pleistocene and Megantereon falconeri from India.

Way of life

The life of this type may only be reconstructed difficult due to poor fossil record. As potential prey species in Europe are larger Artiodactyla, horses or young of rhinos and elephants into consideration.