Machairodontinae

The Machairodontinae are a sister group of the felines (Felinae). They were the last surviving group of sabre–toothed cats.

Machairodontinae
Mounted fossil skeleton of a Smilodon fatalis, National Museum of Natural History
Scientific classification
Unrecognized taxon (fix):	Machairodontinae
Subgroups
†Homotherini †Machairodontini †Metailurini †Smilodontini

They are an extinct subfamily of mammalian carnivora of the family Felidae (true cats). They lived in Asia, Africa, North America, South America, and Europe from the Miocene to the Pleistocene. They survived from about 23 million until about 11,000 years ago.

The subfamily Machairodontinae included the famed genus Smilodon. There were also other cats with canines which were not so long, such as Homotherium. The sabretooth adaptation evolved a number of times in different carnivore lines. They were evidently very successful as ambush predators.

Machairodontinae Media

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  A male Amphimachairodus giganteus was one of the largest machairodonts. It dwarfs its modern relative, the common house cat, Felis catus.

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  Homotherium serum. An extinct felid.

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  Skeleton of Nimravides catacopis, a fossil felid

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  Florida Museum of Natural History Fossil Hall at the University of Florida, Xenosmilus hodsonae

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  Machairodus_aphanistus_-_Cerro_de_los_Batallones_-_Museo_Arqueológico_Regional_CAM

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  Dinofelis barlowi, from the Early Pliocene to the late Pleistocene of North Hemisphere

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  Metailurus_(Metailurus_sp)_Asenovgrad2

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  Model of Megantereon - Took the picture at Natural History Museum, Basel

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  Examples of the Palmeto Fauna machairodont, Rhizosmilodon fiteae. Original described specimen UF 22890 [7] (A–C), proposed holotype UF 124634 (D–F), and paratype UF 135626 (G–I) in lateral, occlusal, and lingual views respectively. Images in D–F reversed to match the other two specimens.