ashcraft Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 I heard on a TV show recently that sabers had evolved in mammals on four occasions, I am aware of 3, Nimravids (cat-like, now extinct), Thylacosmilus (marsupial), and the "saber tooth tigers", in modern cats. What is the fourth? Brent Ashcraft ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smilodon Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 I heard on a TV show recently that sabers had evolved in mammals on four occasions, I am aware of 3, Nimravids (cat-like, now extinct), Thylacosmilus (marsupial), and the "saber tooth tigers", in modern cats. What is the fourth? Brent Ashcraft Creodonts, I believe. Remember, the North American sabercats were not tigers or closely related to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
32fordboy Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Didn't Uintatherium have sabers? That would be kinda strange, though 'cause they say it was an herbivore. www.nicksfossils.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 i like saber-toothed deer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandpa Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Do you mean Chico, Harpo, Groucho, Zeppo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 Creodonts, I believe. Remember, the North American sabercats were not tigers or closely related to them. Thanks, I hadn't considered the creodonts, as everything I have read about them refers to how primitive they were anatomically. But upon googeling creodont-saber, it appears that the hyaenodont (sp?) variety was indeed saber positive. As for the plant eaters with long teeth, some are still living (muntjac?), and even whitetails have an occasional genetic backstroke where the "fangs" reappear. If they are large enough, would they be considered sabers? Or is meat consumption part of the defitnition? Brent Ashcraft ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smilodon Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 (edited) Thanks, I hadn't considered the creodonts, as everything I have read about them refers to how primitive they were anatomically. But upon googeling creodont-saber, it appears that the hyaenodont (sp?) variety was indeed saber positive. As for the plant eaters with long teeth, some are still living (muntjac?), and even whitetails have an occasional genetic backstroke where the "fangs" reappear. If they are large enough, would they be considered sabers? Or is meat consumption part of the defitnition? Brent Ashcraft Brent, I'm no academician, but sabertoothed animals are commonly thought of as the carnivores (cat-like critters) with enlarged, flattened upper canines probably used in killing or eating prey. Although there are none alive today, the clouded leopard seems to be on it's way to becoming a "sabercat" although its elongated canines are conical rather than flattened. Herbivores with "sabers" either use them for show and maybe male competition. Herbivores such as Uintatheres, Giant Beavers, and even the living Hippopotamus had/have fearsome canines but they are not generally regarded as "saber-toothed." Then there is also Enchodus, the saber-toothed salmon. Living Hippo Edited October 1, 2009 by Smilodon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyrules244 Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 I heard on a TV show recently that sabers had evolved in mammals on four occasions, I am aware of 3, Nimravids (cat-like, now extinct), Thylacosmilus (marsupial), and the "saber tooth tigers", in modern cats. What is the fourth? Brent Ashcraft Machaeroides maby? "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." Albert Einstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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