Osteology and ecology of Megantereon cultridens SE311 (Mammalia; Felidae; Machairodontinae), a sabrecat from the Late Pliocene – Early Pleistocene of Senéze, France

摘要: Megantereon cultridens was a derived, Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene sabrecat, and although fossils of animals referred the genus species have been found at several locations throughout Eurasia, most are fragmentary. However, specimen SE311 from Seneze in France represents an almost complete well-preserved skeleton, this is only known very few other sabrecats, thus providing rare glimpse into full anatomy unusual derived sabrecat. In monograph, we provide overview SE311, compare it with extant large felids, sabrecats which ample fossil material known, frequently representing specimens. M. cultridens would had body mass 100–110 kg head–body length or around 160 cm, similar small lioness male jaguar. sp. were sexually dimorphic, size suggests that male. As powerfully built, particularly robust forequarters well-developed muscle attachment sites, indicating powerful forelimb shoulder musculature. The neck proportionally much longer than thoracic lumbar region shorter, mimicking condition parts vertebral column known. probably lived open-forest environments preyed on cervids, dispatched shearing bite hypertrophied blade-like upper canines throat prey, while prey held immobile massive forelimbs, minimizing risk damage fangs. © 2007 Linnean Society London, Zoological Journal Society, 2007, 151, 833–884.