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A specialized weapon sometimes is all that's needed to survive in the wild, and thylacosmilus was armed to the teeth. Two long canines with sharpened edges and lethal points grew from the creature's upper jaw. About the size of a modern leopard, thylacosmilus tackled prey much larger than itself and killed with a single bite to the neck.

Stay Sharp: Sheath-like extensions of this beast's lower jaw protected the long canine teeth, and prevented-thylacosmilus from accidentally stabbing itself. Plus, the sheaths ground against the edges of the teeth, keeping them razor-sharp at all times.

Surprise, Game Over![]

Thylacosmilus Back Image

A fossilized skull reveals this killer's primary weapons.

Thylacosmilus had a stout, muscular body that would have tired quickly when running. Instead of chasing prey over spans of grassland, this brute hid behind foliage and ambushed its prey with a quick pounce, giving the victim no chance to run away. The long canine teeth could cut through major arteries and organs, making them perfect for taking down large animals.

Never Stop: Thylacosmilus' sharp canine teeth grew continuously throughout its lifetime. This way, the creature's primary weapons never wore down.

Invaders: When a land bridge emerged and joined North and South America millions of years ago, saber-toothed tigers from the north migrated south. Thylacosmilus probably became extinct because the newcomers out hunted and out-bred them.

Family Feast[]

  1. Hiding behind a bush, a female thylacosmilus gets ready to attack when telicomys, a huge prehistoric rodent, comes to take a drink from the water's edge.
  2. The thylacosmilus springs from behind a bush. The predator bites down with its sharp canine teeth, slashing arteries and slicing vital organs.
  3. After the victim collapses, the tylacosmilus' cubs, which were waiting behind the bush-watching and learning-come out to join their mother.

Trading Card[]

Trivia[]

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