#307 Machairodus Juvenile Saber Tooth Tiger Skull
Species Identification: This is a replica of Machairodus giganteus from Gansu Province, China, dating to the Late Miocene period (approximately 6 million years ago) The length measurement of about 9.5 inches matches commercial replicas of juvenile Machairodus skulls
Key Characteristics of Machairodus:
- Machairodus had notably narrow skulls compared to modern pantherine cats, with relatively small orbits
- The canines were long, thin, and flattened from side to side but broad from front to back, like the blade of a knife
The front and back edges of the canines were serrated when they first grew, but these serrations wore down in the first few years of the animal's life
About the Genus: Machairodus is a genus of large saber-toothed cats that lived in Africa and Eurasia during the Middle to Late Miocene, from 12.5 million to 9.1 million years ago The type species, M. aphanistus, was comparable to tigers in size, making it an apex predator
Juvenile Characteristics: Since this is a juvenile specimen, the saber teeth would be proportionally smaller and less developed than in adults. Juvenile specimens like this one lived approximately 4.5 to 5 million years ago and were about the size of a lion when fully grown, but with a longer muzzle and narrower skull
This is an excellent educational replica of one of the most important early saber-toothed cats!