New evidence of the sabertooth cat Smilodon (Carnivora: Machairodontinae) in the late Pleistocene of southern Chilean Patagonia

2010/06/01 by Alfredo Prieto, Rafael Labarca, Víctor Sierpe · 2 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · Social Sciences · #Evolution and Paleontology Studies #Wildlife Ecology and Conservation #Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology #Pleistocene #Geography #Carnivora #Archaeology #Biology

paper · pdf · doi:10.4067/s0716-078x2010000200010

openalex publication_date 2010/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

Southern Patagonia is rich in late Pleistocene mammals, especially herbivores such as Camelids, Equids and Xenarthrans.Carnivores, on the other hand, are not commonly found in the paleontological record.One genus, Smilodon, is of particular interest because its presence in the region has not been demonstrated.In this paper, we present new fossil dental evidence that supports the presence of Smilodon populator (Lund) in the region.This evidence corresponds to the most southern record of the genus in the world, and the final step in the colonization of South America after the Great American Biotic Interchange.An AMS radiocarbon date on teeth indicates that the remains from Southern Chilean Patagonia are the most recent record for the genus in South America.

Citations

• Extended 14C Data Base and Revised CALIB 3.0 14C Age Calibration Program
• Behavioral implications of saber-toothed felid morphology

Cited by

• Paleobiology of sabretooth cat Smilodon populator in the Pampean Region (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina) around the Last Glacial Maximum: Insights from carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in bone collagen
• Smilodon [wikipedia]

Related

• A POSSIBLE SMILODON (MAMMALIA, FELIDAE) COPROLITE FROM THE PLEISTOCENE OF ARGENTINA
• An extremely large saber-tooth cat skull from Uruguay (late Pleistocene–early Holocene, Dolores Formation): body size and paleobiological implications
• Large Carnivore Footprints from the Late Pleistocene of Argentina
• New saber-toothed cat records (Felidae: Machairodontinae) for the Pleistocene of Venezuela, and the Great American Biotic Interchange
• Phylogeny of the large extinct South American Canids (Mammalia, Carnivora, Canidae) using a “total evidence” approach