Smilodon

extinct predator · saber teeth · ice age · powerful hunter

Massive saber teeth. Smilodon had incredibly long canine teeth that could grow up to 7 inches long, like curved daggers perfect for slashing at prey.

American hunter. Unlike many prehistoric cats, Smilodon lived only in the Americas during the Pleistocene epoch, not in Europe, Asia, or Africa.

Named for its teeth. The name Smilodon means 'scalpel tooth' or 'two-edged knife tooth' in scientific Latin, describing those famous fangs.

Tar pit treasure. Scientists discovered hundreds of Smilodon fossils in the La Brea Tar Pits near Los Angeles, giving us the largest collection of these predators ever found.

Ancient cat family. Smilodon wasn't actually a tiger and was only distantly related to modern cats, having split from their family tree about 20 million years ago.