Taxonomic and palaeobiological implications of a large, pathological sabretooth (Carnivora, Felidae, Machairodontinae) from the Lower Pliocene of South Africa

Rabe, Caitlin ; Chinsamy, Anusuya ; Valenciano, Alberto (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: Abstract:We describe the most complete postcranialremains of a pathological, large-bodied sabretooth from theLower Pliocene site of Langebaanweg ‘E’ Quarry (SouthAfrica). The skeleton consists of hind limb and vertebral ele-ments that exhibit distinctive exostoses, osteophytes andeburnation. We performed a quantitative morphologicalcomparison of the new postcranial remains found in Lange-baanweg, with other Neogene and Quaternary sabretoothand non-sabretooth felids, consisting of the generaAmphi-machairodus,Machairodus,Lokotunjailurus,Dinofelis,Pan-thera,HomotheriumandSmilodonfrom several sites inAfrica, Europe and North America, using principal compo-nent analysis and Mosimann transformations. Although thepathological deformation of the remains distorted some ofthe linear measurements, most of the analysed variables donot contain pathological features, and strongly indicate thatthe Langebaanweg sabretooth is morphologically closer toMachairodus aphanistusandLokotunjailurus emageritusthanit is toAmphimachairodus giganteus. This indicates that theremains could belong to an undetermined sabretooth speciesfrom the Langebaanweg locality. The observed pathologies inthe foot and lumbar spine are consistent with diagnostic cri-teria for severe osteoarthritis (due to maturity), which wouldhave limited limb mobility with severe consequences forhunting success.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1002/spp2.1463

Año: 2022

Publicado en: Papers in Palaeontology 8, 5 (2022), e1463 [26 pp.]
ISSN: 2056-2799

Factor impacto JCR: 2.3 (2022)

Categ. JCR: PALEONTOLOGY rank: 10 / 54 = 0.185 (2022) - Q1 - T1

Factor impacto CITESCORE: 4.2 - Earth and Planetary Sciences (Q2)

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.869 - Paleontology (Q1)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/E33-20R
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/FJC-2018-036669-I
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/PID2020-116220GB-I00
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO-FEDER/PGC2018-094122-B-100

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Paleontología (Dpto. Ciencias de la Tierra)