Post by Hylocereus on Mar 23, 2015 5:08:14 GMT
The Machairodontinae originated in the early or middle Miocene of Africa. The early felid Pseudaelurus quadridentatus showed a trend towards elongated upper canines, and is believed to be at the base of the machairodontine evolution. The earliest known machairodont genus is the middle Miocene Miomachairodus from Africa and Turkey. Until the late Miocene, machairodontines co-existed at several places together with barbourofelids, archaic large carnivores that also bore long sabre-teeth.
Traditionally, three different tribes of machairodontines were recognized, the Smilodontini with typical dirk-toothed forms, such as Megantereon and Smilodon, the Machairodontini or Homotherini with scimitar-toothed cats, such as Machairodus or Homotherium, and the Metailurini, containing genera such as Dinofelis and Metailurus. However, some have recently regrouped the Metailurini within the other felid subfamily, the Felinae, along with all modern cats. The last machairodontine genera, Smilodon and Homotherium, did not disappear until late in the Pleistocene, roughly 10,000 years ago in the Americas.
Saber-tooths also coexisted in many places with conical-toothed cats. In Africa and Eurasia, sabertooth cats competed with several pantherines and cheetahs until the early or middle Pleistocene. Homotherium survived in northern Europe even until the late Pleistocene. In the Americas, they coexisted with the cougar, American lion, American cheetah, and jaguar until the late Pleistocene. Saber-toothed and conical-toothed cats competed with each other for food resources, until the last of the former became extinct. All recent felids have more or less conical-shaped upper canines.
---
Anatomy of a Machirodont's Skull
Machairodonts are divided into two types: dirk-toothed and scimitar-toothed. Dirk-toothed cats had elongated, narrow upper canines and generally had stocky bodies. Scimitar-toothed cats had broader and shorter upper canines and a typically lithe body form with longer legs. The longer-toothed cats often had a bony flange that extended from their lower mandible. However, one genus, Xenosmilus, known only from two fairly complete fossils, broke this mould, possessing both the stout, heavy limbs associated with dirk-toothed cats, and the stout canines of a scimitar-toothed cat.
Longer canines necessitate a larger gape. A lion with a gape of 95° could not bear canines that are nine inches long because they would not be able to have a gap between the lower and upper canines larger than an inch or so, not enough to use for killing. Machairodonts, along with the other groups of animals that acquired the relationship of convergent evolution, needed a way to change their skulls to accommodate the canines in several ways. Smilodon Fatalis had a maximum gape of 128°, compared to the domestic cat, which only had an 80° gape.
The largest inhibitor of a large gape for mammals are the temporalis and masseter muscles at the back of the jaw. These muscles have the capacity to be powerful and undergo a great degree of modification for ranging bite forces, but are not very elastic due to their thickness, placement, and strength. To open the mouth wider, these species needed to make the muscles smaller and change their shape. The first step in this was to reduce the coronoid process. The masseter, and especially the temporalis, muscles insert on this jutting strip of bone, so reduction of this process meant reduction of the muscles. Less mass for each muscle allowed greater elasticity and less resistance to a wide gape. Changing the shape of the temporalis muscle in this respect created a greater distance between the origin and insertion so that the muscle became longer and more compact, which is generally a more suitable format for this type of stretching. This reduction led to a weak bite.
The skulls of many sabre-tooth predators, including machairodonts, are tall from top to bottom and short from front to back. The zygomatic arches are compressed, and the portion of the skull bearing facial features, such as eyes, is higher, while the muzzle is shorter. These changes help to compensate for an increased gape. Machairodonts also had reduced bottom canines, maintaining the distance between those in the upper and lower jaws.
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General Anatomy
The dirk-toothed machairodonts, including Smilodon, Megantereon, and Paramachairodus, are defined by sturdiness and strength with the most primitive (Paramachairodus) being smaller and more lithe than the more advanced Smilodon with the intermediate Megantereon falling in between. They were not stamina runners with short tarsi and metatarsi and heavy bodies. When compared with the modern lion, their ribcages were barrel-like. Their scapulae were very well developed, especially in Smilodon, to allow for a larger surface area of attachment for massive shoulder and triceps muscles. The cervical vertebrae are very sturdy, and the attachments for muscles were powerful and strong. The lumbar section of the vertebral column was shortened. The tails were, from most primitive to most advanced, growing shorter and shorter, resulting in the bobcat-like tail of Smilodon.
The scimitar-toothed machairodonts, including Machairodus, Miomachairodus, Homotherium, Adelphailurus, Dinofelis, Metailurus, Pontosmilus, Therailurus, Lokotunjailurus, and technically Xenosmilus, are a much more diverse group and most machairodonts fall into this less specialized type. The canines of this larger group are significantly shorter and much more stout for the most part. Because of the diversity of the genera, it is difficult to illustrate a specific type. This group is generally much more lean and smaller on average, though Machairodus was one of the largest, if not the largest, of all machairodonts. Some display high degrees of sexual dimorphism, unlike the dirk-toothed cats.
The jaws of machairodonts, especially more derived species with longer canines, such as Smilodon and Megantereon, are unusually weak. Digital reconstructions of the skulls of lions and of Smilodon show that the latter would have fared poorly with the stresses of holding onto struggling prey. The main issue was the stresses suffered by the mandible: a strong force threatened to break the jaw as pressure was placed on its weakest points.
Smilodon would have had one-third the bite force of a lion, had it used only its jaw muscles. However, the neck muscles that connected to the back of the skull were stronger and depressed the head, forcing the skull down. When the jaw was hyper-extended, the jaw muscles could not contract, but the neck muscles pressed the head down, forcing the canines into whatever resisted them. When the mouth was closed far enough, the jaw muscles could raise the mandible by some margin.
Similarly to a lion, Smilodon possessed an ossified hyoid which allowed it to roar.
----
Behaviour
There has been much debate over the social nature of machirodonts, particularly those of the Smilodon species. There is substantial evidence to back up the theory that at least some Machirodonts were social, likely forming prides or packs to hunt and for safety.
On the subject of hunting, there are many theories on how Machirodontae used their elongated canines to kill their prey.
The first hypothesis involving the sensitive neck is that the cat simply restrained the animal and then bit the neck, without much specificity to location, to cause major blood damage and then retreated to allow the animal to bleed to death. Stipulations include not biting the back of the neck where contact with vertebrae could break the teeth, but a deep bite anywhere in the neck would prove fatal.
This general bite would be used wherever it could be attained, and needs fewer predators. When compared with the belly-shearing hypothesis, one Megantereon could kill a large deer, and possibly a horse, with little danger of breaking canines. This is because the bite can be applied while the carnivore keeps its body behind the prey for the most part, avoiding flinging legs while still pressing with its body weight to keep it still. It would have been a quick bite, suiting the ambush style of stalking and hunting implied by the heavy and strong bodies of most machairodonts. It would also have been possible for a lone machairodont to wound a large prey animal in this manner, then release and follow it until it fell from shock.
Another variation suggests the advanced machairodonts were highly specialized, enough to obtain the specific geometry to puncture the four major blood vessels in the throat of a prey animal in one bite. This hypothesis would include a careful bite to puncture the blood vessels, similar to, but more precise than, the bite-and-compress hypothesis, where the machairodont would retreat and allow the animal to bleed to death very quickly.
Though bloody, this method would take the shortest amount of time to kill the animal out of all the hypotheses. Because of the differences of anatomy between species possibly hunted by machairodonts, the geometry needed to kill a horse, for instance, might not work for a bison. This would require the genus, or even the specific species, to be highly specialized for one type of prey animal. This might offer an explanation for their extinction, for the movement or extinction of that prey species would lead to the death of its specialist predator.
"Belly shearing"
This method of killing is similar to the style of killing seen in hyenas and canines today. A group of machairodonts captured and completely subdued a prey item, holding it still while one from the group bit into the abdominal cavity, pulled back and tore open the body.
For this technique to work, a specific sequence of motions would have be followed. First, the animal must be completely subdued, and the predatory machairodonts must to be social, so that several individuals can hold the prey animal down. The individual preparing to deliver the killing bite would open its mouth at maximum gape, and with its mandible, press up on the skin of the belly. Creating a depression where the lower canines and incisors press into the skin, a slight fold is created in the skin above the lower teeth as the mandible is shoved upward. Next, the upper canines are pressed into the skin and the muscles of the neck are used to depress the head, so instead of pulling the jaw 'up', the skull is pressed 'down' . When the canines pierce the skin, they are lowered until the gape of the mouth is roughly 45°, where the mandible is pulled up in addition to the skull still being depressed. The small flanges on the anterior portion of the mandible of most machairodonts would be used to aid the depression of the skull. When the animal's mouth is closed, it holds a thick flap of skin between its jaws, behind its canines, and the animal uses the muscles of its lower back and forequarters to pull back, tearing the flap clear of the body. This large gash, once opened, leaves intestines uncovered and arteries and veins torn. The bleeding animal would die within minutes, and the shock of repeated bites, tearing innards from the body, could speed up the process.
--
An important note (or, TL;DR)
As with all extinct species, we may never know for certain how they looked or behaved. There is evidence both for and against social behaviour in the machairodonts.
The machirodonts in this Roleplay that choose to live in groups will be assumed to naturally take a social hierarchy like those of wolves or hyenas - a strict pecking order, with the more dominant individuals having the monopoly on decision-making, food and breeding rights with positions open to challenge. Just to confuse things further however, we will refer to groups of Machirodonts as a Pride.
All genders will be expected to hunt - if not for the pride, then for themselves - only the injured, the sick or the young will be brought food back to the dens. Once a kill is made, any cat may feed from it, but should respect the pecking order at the meal unless they wish to suffer the wrath of those above them. Fights over carcasses are expected. No sexual dimorphism has been noted within the Smilodon species, or in fact most of the machairodonts.
--
The bulk of the power rests with the alpha male and female, and their betas.
If an alpha steps down, the most suitable beta will automatically assume their rank assuming no heir is availiable. If there is an heir that is too young to lead, a beta will temporarily lead while instructing the cub on how to take over his position. For this reason, betas are generally the alpha's most trusted friends. Betas are seconds-in-command, they assist in keeping things running smoothly and take control if the alpha is busy or not present.
Below the beta is the Delta. The deltas are individuals with the qualities that would make a good beta or alpha, but no desire to lead whatsoever. While not officially recognized as any form of authority they are well respected. Alternatively, a delta may simply be what is technically a beta that the alpha is not particularly fond of.
On the next rung are the bulk of the pride, who will have their own pecking order within their circles. These cats are submissive to those above them but dominant over cubs and omegas.
Omegas are split into two kinds - The overly-submissive, weak of body or mind and the disgraced. Both are the chew toys of the pride, expected to be submissive to everyone else. Other cats may vent on Omegas, but they are still pride members and it is an offence to seriously injure one. They have a tough lot, but it's better than roughing it alone.
Cubs have their own pecking order, while being expected to show submission towards all adults - though less with the disgraced omegas.
Cats are not expected to be monogamous, but may choose lifelong mates on occasion. Males and females may challenge each other for suitors, but it is ultimately the second individual's choice, though he or she would be expected to accept the stronger and healthier option. While the most dominant male may take as many mates as he wishes, lower ranks may have a hard time attaining one and must do so out of the public eye.
Cubs will inherit the social status of their parents - amongst their peers, at least. Cubs are still at the bottom of the totem pole, though they are defended fervently and well cared for. To kill a cub is a grave offence warranting exile or death. The exception is when a cub is born with a deformity or disability - the parents may choose to end its life.
Like lions, there is no set breeding season - Females will enter heat once every six months, and will remain in heat for a week. The time at which this happens will vary from female to female, so cubs may be born at any time of the year. If the above weirds you out, you don't have to roleplay it. It's cool.
On the topic of breeding, we will allow cross-species mating. This may come with a consequence, though... S Fatalis x S Populator for example were closely related enough that they could probably produce healthy, fertile cubs, but other pairings may be fruitless or even dangerous. We shall assume for the purposes of roleplay that the Machirodont subfamily can interbreed similarly to the Pantherine - that is, they can all interbreed but while some pairings will be relatively risk-free, others will come with genetic disadvantages, infertility and danger to the female if she is significantly smaller.
I mean, a leopard can have fertile offspring with a tiger. Cougars and leopards can interbreed, and they're not even in the same subfamily - So it's reasonable to assume the same can happen within the Machirodontae.
Also like lions, the pride is not expected to stay all together at once. Individuals may roam freely, though leaving their territory carries risks. Females will den in secret with newborn cubs for the first few months of their lives.
--
We shall assume that Smilodon are ambush predators, hunting much like lions when in a group. They are good long-distance runners and can pursue prey over vast distances, but are not fast enough to catch most prey animals on the open. To take down prey, they use their immense upper body strength to wrestle it to the ground. If alone, they will shear through the victim's throat, but this runs the risk of attracting other predators with the high amount of blood and noise. Smilodon in a group can pin down large prey, allowing for fatal bites to the abdomen or lungs.
Smilodon aren't going to bother with things smaller than a deer unless they're starving - they are highly specialized for killing megafauna.
Traditionally, three different tribes of machairodontines were recognized, the Smilodontini with typical dirk-toothed forms, such as Megantereon and Smilodon, the Machairodontini or Homotherini with scimitar-toothed cats, such as Machairodus or Homotherium, and the Metailurini, containing genera such as Dinofelis and Metailurus. However, some have recently regrouped the Metailurini within the other felid subfamily, the Felinae, along with all modern cats. The last machairodontine genera, Smilodon and Homotherium, did not disappear until late in the Pleistocene, roughly 10,000 years ago in the Americas.
Saber-tooths also coexisted in many places with conical-toothed cats. In Africa and Eurasia, sabertooth cats competed with several pantherines and cheetahs until the early or middle Pleistocene. Homotherium survived in northern Europe even until the late Pleistocene. In the Americas, they coexisted with the cougar, American lion, American cheetah, and jaguar until the late Pleistocene. Saber-toothed and conical-toothed cats competed with each other for food resources, until the last of the former became extinct. All recent felids have more or less conical-shaped upper canines.
---
Anatomy of a Machirodont's Skull
Machairodonts are divided into two types: dirk-toothed and scimitar-toothed. Dirk-toothed cats had elongated, narrow upper canines and generally had stocky bodies. Scimitar-toothed cats had broader and shorter upper canines and a typically lithe body form with longer legs. The longer-toothed cats often had a bony flange that extended from their lower mandible. However, one genus, Xenosmilus, known only from two fairly complete fossils, broke this mould, possessing both the stout, heavy limbs associated with dirk-toothed cats, and the stout canines of a scimitar-toothed cat.
Longer canines necessitate a larger gape. A lion with a gape of 95° could not bear canines that are nine inches long because they would not be able to have a gap between the lower and upper canines larger than an inch or so, not enough to use for killing. Machairodonts, along with the other groups of animals that acquired the relationship of convergent evolution, needed a way to change their skulls to accommodate the canines in several ways. Smilodon Fatalis had a maximum gape of 128°, compared to the domestic cat, which only had an 80° gape.
The largest inhibitor of a large gape for mammals are the temporalis and masseter muscles at the back of the jaw. These muscles have the capacity to be powerful and undergo a great degree of modification for ranging bite forces, but are not very elastic due to their thickness, placement, and strength. To open the mouth wider, these species needed to make the muscles smaller and change their shape. The first step in this was to reduce the coronoid process. The masseter, and especially the temporalis, muscles insert on this jutting strip of bone, so reduction of this process meant reduction of the muscles. Less mass for each muscle allowed greater elasticity and less resistance to a wide gape. Changing the shape of the temporalis muscle in this respect created a greater distance between the origin and insertion so that the muscle became longer and more compact, which is generally a more suitable format for this type of stretching. This reduction led to a weak bite.
The skulls of many sabre-tooth predators, including machairodonts, are tall from top to bottom and short from front to back. The zygomatic arches are compressed, and the portion of the skull bearing facial features, such as eyes, is higher, while the muzzle is shorter. These changes help to compensate for an increased gape. Machairodonts also had reduced bottom canines, maintaining the distance between those in the upper and lower jaws.
-----
General Anatomy
The dirk-toothed machairodonts, including Smilodon, Megantereon, and Paramachairodus, are defined by sturdiness and strength with the most primitive (Paramachairodus) being smaller and more lithe than the more advanced Smilodon with the intermediate Megantereon falling in between. They were not stamina runners with short tarsi and metatarsi and heavy bodies. When compared with the modern lion, their ribcages were barrel-like. Their scapulae were very well developed, especially in Smilodon, to allow for a larger surface area of attachment for massive shoulder and triceps muscles. The cervical vertebrae are very sturdy, and the attachments for muscles were powerful and strong. The lumbar section of the vertebral column was shortened. The tails were, from most primitive to most advanced, growing shorter and shorter, resulting in the bobcat-like tail of Smilodon.
The scimitar-toothed machairodonts, including Machairodus, Miomachairodus, Homotherium, Adelphailurus, Dinofelis, Metailurus, Pontosmilus, Therailurus, Lokotunjailurus, and technically Xenosmilus, are a much more diverse group and most machairodonts fall into this less specialized type. The canines of this larger group are significantly shorter and much more stout for the most part. Because of the diversity of the genera, it is difficult to illustrate a specific type. This group is generally much more lean and smaller on average, though Machairodus was one of the largest, if not the largest, of all machairodonts. Some display high degrees of sexual dimorphism, unlike the dirk-toothed cats.
The jaws of machairodonts, especially more derived species with longer canines, such as Smilodon and Megantereon, are unusually weak. Digital reconstructions of the skulls of lions and of Smilodon show that the latter would have fared poorly with the stresses of holding onto struggling prey. The main issue was the stresses suffered by the mandible: a strong force threatened to break the jaw as pressure was placed on its weakest points.
Smilodon would have had one-third the bite force of a lion, had it used only its jaw muscles. However, the neck muscles that connected to the back of the skull were stronger and depressed the head, forcing the skull down. When the jaw was hyper-extended, the jaw muscles could not contract, but the neck muscles pressed the head down, forcing the canines into whatever resisted them. When the mouth was closed far enough, the jaw muscles could raise the mandible by some margin.
Similarly to a lion, Smilodon possessed an ossified hyoid which allowed it to roar.
----
Behaviour
There has been much debate over the social nature of machirodonts, particularly those of the Smilodon species. There is substantial evidence to back up the theory that at least some Machirodonts were social, likely forming prides or packs to hunt and for safety.
On the subject of hunting, there are many theories on how Machirodontae used their elongated canines to kill their prey.
The first hypothesis involving the sensitive neck is that the cat simply restrained the animal and then bit the neck, without much specificity to location, to cause major blood damage and then retreated to allow the animal to bleed to death. Stipulations include not biting the back of the neck where contact with vertebrae could break the teeth, but a deep bite anywhere in the neck would prove fatal.
This general bite would be used wherever it could be attained, and needs fewer predators. When compared with the belly-shearing hypothesis, one Megantereon could kill a large deer, and possibly a horse, with little danger of breaking canines. This is because the bite can be applied while the carnivore keeps its body behind the prey for the most part, avoiding flinging legs while still pressing with its body weight to keep it still. It would have been a quick bite, suiting the ambush style of stalking and hunting implied by the heavy and strong bodies of most machairodonts. It would also have been possible for a lone machairodont to wound a large prey animal in this manner, then release and follow it until it fell from shock.
Another variation suggests the advanced machairodonts were highly specialized, enough to obtain the specific geometry to puncture the four major blood vessels in the throat of a prey animal in one bite. This hypothesis would include a careful bite to puncture the blood vessels, similar to, but more precise than, the bite-and-compress hypothesis, where the machairodont would retreat and allow the animal to bleed to death very quickly.
Though bloody, this method would take the shortest amount of time to kill the animal out of all the hypotheses. Because of the differences of anatomy between species possibly hunted by machairodonts, the geometry needed to kill a horse, for instance, might not work for a bison. This would require the genus, or even the specific species, to be highly specialized for one type of prey animal. This might offer an explanation for their extinction, for the movement or extinction of that prey species would lead to the death of its specialist predator.
"Belly shearing"
This method of killing is similar to the style of killing seen in hyenas and canines today. A group of machairodonts captured and completely subdued a prey item, holding it still while one from the group bit into the abdominal cavity, pulled back and tore open the body.
For this technique to work, a specific sequence of motions would have be followed. First, the animal must be completely subdued, and the predatory machairodonts must to be social, so that several individuals can hold the prey animal down. The individual preparing to deliver the killing bite would open its mouth at maximum gape, and with its mandible, press up on the skin of the belly. Creating a depression where the lower canines and incisors press into the skin, a slight fold is created in the skin above the lower teeth as the mandible is shoved upward. Next, the upper canines are pressed into the skin and the muscles of the neck are used to depress the head, so instead of pulling the jaw 'up', the skull is pressed 'down' . When the canines pierce the skin, they are lowered until the gape of the mouth is roughly 45°, where the mandible is pulled up in addition to the skull still being depressed. The small flanges on the anterior portion of the mandible of most machairodonts would be used to aid the depression of the skull. When the animal's mouth is closed, it holds a thick flap of skin between its jaws, behind its canines, and the animal uses the muscles of its lower back and forequarters to pull back, tearing the flap clear of the body. This large gash, once opened, leaves intestines uncovered and arteries and veins torn. The bleeding animal would die within minutes, and the shock of repeated bites, tearing innards from the body, could speed up the process.
--
An important note (or, TL;DR)
As with all extinct species, we may never know for certain how they looked or behaved. There is evidence both for and against social behaviour in the machairodonts.
The machirodonts in this Roleplay that choose to live in groups will be assumed to naturally take a social hierarchy like those of wolves or hyenas - a strict pecking order, with the more dominant individuals having the monopoly on decision-making, food and breeding rights with positions open to challenge. Just to confuse things further however, we will refer to groups of Machirodonts as a Pride.
All genders will be expected to hunt - if not for the pride, then for themselves - only the injured, the sick or the young will be brought food back to the dens. Once a kill is made, any cat may feed from it, but should respect the pecking order at the meal unless they wish to suffer the wrath of those above them. Fights over carcasses are expected. No sexual dimorphism has been noted within the Smilodon species, or in fact most of the machairodonts.
--
The bulk of the power rests with the alpha male and female, and their betas.
If an alpha steps down, the most suitable beta will automatically assume their rank assuming no heir is availiable. If there is an heir that is too young to lead, a beta will temporarily lead while instructing the cub on how to take over his position. For this reason, betas are generally the alpha's most trusted friends. Betas are seconds-in-command, they assist in keeping things running smoothly and take control if the alpha is busy or not present.
Below the beta is the Delta. The deltas are individuals with the qualities that would make a good beta or alpha, but no desire to lead whatsoever. While not officially recognized as any form of authority they are well respected. Alternatively, a delta may simply be what is technically a beta that the alpha is not particularly fond of.
On the next rung are the bulk of the pride, who will have their own pecking order within their circles. These cats are submissive to those above them but dominant over cubs and omegas.
Omegas are split into two kinds - The overly-submissive, weak of body or mind and the disgraced. Both are the chew toys of the pride, expected to be submissive to everyone else. Other cats may vent on Omegas, but they are still pride members and it is an offence to seriously injure one. They have a tough lot, but it's better than roughing it alone.
Cubs have their own pecking order, while being expected to show submission towards all adults - though less with the disgraced omegas.
Cats are not expected to be monogamous, but may choose lifelong mates on occasion. Males and females may challenge each other for suitors, but it is ultimately the second individual's choice, though he or she would be expected to accept the stronger and healthier option. While the most dominant male may take as many mates as he wishes, lower ranks may have a hard time attaining one and must do so out of the public eye.
Cubs will inherit the social status of their parents - amongst their peers, at least. Cubs are still at the bottom of the totem pole, though they are defended fervently and well cared for. To kill a cub is a grave offence warranting exile or death. The exception is when a cub is born with a deformity or disability - the parents may choose to end its life.
Like lions, there is no set breeding season - Females will enter heat once every six months, and will remain in heat for a week. The time at which this happens will vary from female to female, so cubs may be born at any time of the year. If the above weirds you out, you don't have to roleplay it. It's cool.
On the topic of breeding, we will allow cross-species mating. This may come with a consequence, though... S Fatalis x S Populator for example were closely related enough that they could probably produce healthy, fertile cubs, but other pairings may be fruitless or even dangerous. We shall assume for the purposes of roleplay that the Machirodont subfamily can interbreed similarly to the Pantherine - that is, they can all interbreed but while some pairings will be relatively risk-free, others will come with genetic disadvantages, infertility and danger to the female if she is significantly smaller.
I mean, a leopard can have fertile offspring with a tiger. Cougars and leopards can interbreed, and they're not even in the same subfamily - So it's reasonable to assume the same can happen within the Machirodontae.
Also like lions, the pride is not expected to stay all together at once. Individuals may roam freely, though leaving their territory carries risks. Females will den in secret with newborn cubs for the first few months of their lives.
--
We shall assume that Smilodon are ambush predators, hunting much like lions when in a group. They are good long-distance runners and can pursue prey over vast distances, but are not fast enough to catch most prey animals on the open. To take down prey, they use their immense upper body strength to wrestle it to the ground. If alone, they will shear through the victim's throat, but this runs the risk of attracting other predators with the high amount of blood and noise. Smilodon in a group can pin down large prey, allowing for fatal bites to the abdomen or lungs.
Smilodon aren't going to bother with things smaller than a deer unless they're starving - they are highly specialized for killing megafauna.
I have left FH behind and nowadays I mainly play Valorant. I hope everyone is doing okay and you're having great lives! <3