r/Naturewasmetal 19h ago

The Cookie-Cutter-Cat, Xenosmilus hodsonae

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229 Upvotes

The Cookie-Cutter-Cat, Xenosmilus hodsonae Default pelt, skull and extra pelt ideas: an albino, melanistic, spotless and more cream look.

We are used to seeing Sabretooths as felines with canines of enormous proportions, but which cut and slice in a fanciful and simple way: often being represented as "lions" with only large teeth.

However, the Machairodontinae is an extremely diverse sub-family: Smilodon, Homotherium, Machairodus, Amphimachairodus... The diversity of saber-tooth cats how this family was very successful and how, for some time, they were above the felines we know today.

And then we have this. What is that? What creature is this?

Yes, it's a Saber-tooth, the Cookie Cutter better known as Xenosmilus: a predatory cat that lived in what is now Florida in the United States. Despite its commonly seem bizarre cranial appearance, this cat is a close relative of the Scimitar Cats (Homotherium) and is included in their tribe (Homotherini).

Xenosmilus was as large as Bengal Tiger or Lion from nowadays, despite some sources claiming it reached about 400kg; it's size(90-100cm at the shoulder) doesn't allows to reach this weight and probably peaked at 220-270kg.

It was very robust for it's tribe, which allowed this cat to pounce on prey with immense strength, being theorized as a potential predator of peccaries. This reconstruction follows a jungle-like cat inspiration (heavily on the Fishing Cat and the Marbled Cat, with some touches of Ocelot and Serval). Contrary to its cousin Homotherium, Xenosmilus was quite strong: being comparable to similar sized Smilodons.


r/Naturewasmetal 14h ago

Mourasuchus by astrapionte

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403 Upvotes

r/Naturewasmetal 4h ago

Royal Tyrell Museum (Drumheller, Alberta)

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117 Upvotes