Thylacosmilus
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 Thylacosmilus atrox and prey
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Extinct (fossil)
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T. atrox |
Thylacosmilus was a saber-toothed marsupial predator that first appeared during the Miocene. It was not a relative of the true saber-tooth cat, but rather a prime example of convergent evolution. It was equipped with large teeth and powerful shoulders, both of which allowed it to dismantle its prey. Remains of the animal have been found in parts of South America. Thylacosmilus' sabre-teeth kept growing throughout its life, unlike the sabres of true saber-tooths. It also had a pair of scabbard-like structures that developed from flanges growing from the lower jaw, designed to protect the sabre-teeth when it closed its mouth.
It became extinct during the early Pleistocene as a result of the Great American Interchange, being outcompeted by true saber-tooth cats such as Smilodon.
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