Metailurus

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Metailurus
Fossil range: Miocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Subfamily: Felinae
Tribe: Metailurini
Genus: Metailurus
Species

Metailurus major
Metailurus minor
Metailurus mongoliensis
Metailurus pamiri
Metailurus boodon
Metailurus parvulus

Metailurus is a genus of saber-toothed cats belonging to the tribe Metailurini that lived in Europe and Asia approximately 9-6 million years ago.

Metailurus is known as a "false sabertooth" cat because, instead of true saberteeth, it had what appears to be a cross between long, flat saberteeth and the shorter cone-shaped teeth of modern-day felines. Due to the fragmentary nature of Metailurus fossils, the number of species is subject to debate.

[edit] References

  • Turner, A and Mauricio Anton. Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives 1997. Columbia University Press. New York.
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