Mammal
Smilodon crucians
Smilodon cruciansAlso known as Saber-Toothed Cat, Saber-Toothed Tiger, South American Saber-Toothed Cat
Smilodon crucians represents an extinct saber-toothed felid from the Pleistocene epoch, known today primarily as a historical synonym of the massive South American predator Smilodon populator. Equipped with heavily muscled forelimbs and elongated, knife-like upper canines, it ambushed massive megafauna across savannahs and open woodlands. Social groupings may have allowed these apex predators to tackle thick-skinned herbivores and defend carcasses from giant scavengers before vanishing at the close of the last glacial period.
CarnivoreApex Predator
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyToxodon, Macrauchenia, Ground sloths
ThreatsPleistocene megafaunal extinction, climate shifts, and prey collapse
HabitatsSavannahs, steppes, and open woodlands
Life span15–20 years (estimated)
Classification
- FamilyFelidae
- SpeciesSmilodon crucians
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct species; known exclusively from fossil remains and poses no risk.
Responsible observation
- Museum observation: Study mounted skeletons and skull casts in natural history paleontology halls.
- Fossil reporting: Leave suspected fossil material undisturbed in the field and alert local researchers.
Competitor Skb8721 / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Image unavailableAncestor 
Close Relative JJonahJackalope / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative JJonahJackalope / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
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