tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post3262385894591544747..comments2024-03-18T21:26:34.716-05:00Comments on TYWKIWDBI ("Tai-Wiki-Widbee"): SabertoothMinnesotastanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382888179579245181noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-33564243674355325562012-01-31T22:57:17.995-06:002012-01-31T22:57:17.995-06:00. . . oops; my netID is Guodzilla (titanicdoug6@ya.... . . oops; my netID is Guodzilla (titanicdoug6@yahoo.com).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-78467496065245634342012-01-31T22:55:58.504-06:002012-01-31T22:55:58.504-06:00If I recall correctly, Thylacosmilus had those lon...If I recall correctly, Thylacosmilus had those long lower mandibular flanges to protect its fangs (naturally), but those same fangs, unlike those of the smilodonts, machairodids, meganteriids nimravids or other sabertoothed mammals, kept growing throughout the life of the creature. Thus, if a fang got chipped/broken, it would eventually grow back again. One indicator of this is the two humps over the eyesockets. Those were actually casings for the deep roots of the fangs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-1399220896280750102012-01-31T14:59:27.283-06:002012-01-31T14:59:27.283-06:00Reminds me of a marriage of rodent teeth, always g...Reminds me of a marriage of rodent teeth, always growing due to perpetual wear, together with ram horns, for head-butting rival males. I have to say, though, the hinge point of the lower jaw seems terribly "off", as regardless of its preferred meals the bottom molars would meet the top molars at least somewhat evenly for chewing; they way they are set in this display, they do not meet. A professional would be able to extrapolate the shape of the missing bottom molars, and knowing what shape those took would tell us much more about what this creature ate. Come to think of it, setting the bottom jaw so it is not at that strange 15 degree angle to the upper teeth would give more of a visual clue as to the purpose of that fascinating front flange. It won't sign my AIM name btw, CinnaLaPoete@aol.com.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-58157987009640305732012-01-31T13:58:32.742-06:002012-01-31T13:58:32.742-06:00Tasmanian Tiger ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thy...Tasmanian Tiger ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thylacine ) - now extinct subject of current film "The Hunter" - in case anyone is interested in modern descendants of this critter.prodigalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10163305026323603623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-66660842119734093432012-01-30T23:27:29.954-06:002012-01-30T23:27:29.954-06:00Maybe it could rest its head on the protuberance l...Maybe it could rest its head on the protuberance like a monopod when its mouth was closed, gazing out at the world, but not chipping the tips of its teeth. Or whatever.N. Normalnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-53041072741118229132012-01-30T16:50:23.824-06:002012-01-30T16:50:23.824-06:00You do understand that the etymology is from Greek...You do understand that the etymology is from Greek words meaning "chisel" + "tooth", right?<br /><br />Why is that childish?Minnesotastanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382888179579245181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-13253406610626006242012-01-30T16:37:39.273-06:002012-01-30T16:37:39.273-06:00Who the hell decided to call it a bloody smilodon?...Who the hell decided to call it a bloody smilodon? Yeah we get it but its too damn childish. Not good enough!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-55386830917033202732012-01-30T15:56:45.353-06:002012-01-30T15:56:45.353-06:00While I'm less well-versed on Thylacosmilus [I...While I'm less well-versed on Thylacosmilus [I know the carnivoran sabertooth morphs - felids and nimravids - much better], elongated canines generally come with jaw modifications to allow for an exceptionally large gape. Smilodon could open it's jaws 120 degrees, compared to a lion's 60. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smilodon#Teeth_and_jaws]Anderovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01051421788339751222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-85382942145456677862012-01-30T15:17:31.343-06:002012-01-30T15:17:31.343-06:00It does help some, but even so, it looks like ther...It does help some, but even so, it looks like there's maybe a couple cm of clearance between the tooth tips and the lower jaw - hardly enough to take a meaningful bite out of an opponent or prey. A modern wolf's dentition would be more fearsome in my view.<br /><br />Still pondering.<br /><br />(but's it's a good pic - I'll append it to the post. Tx.)<br /><br />(reversed the image to facilitate comparison with the skull)Minnesotastanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382888179579245181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-34468767448936755992012-01-30T14:54:07.644-06:002012-01-30T14:54:07.644-06:00Being a marsupial, I would guess it could gape it&...Being a marsupial, I would guess it could gape it's jaws like the Thylocine. It would open it's mouth really wide and bite into the neck of a much larger prey animal.goliath primehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05524069548884520908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-63827988492675005162012-01-30T14:44:36.293-06:002012-01-30T14:44:36.293-06:00The flanges would be out of the way when it opened...The flanges would be out of the way when it opened its mouth to bite. They come off the bottom of the chin and curve away from the front of the mouth, so they're never forced inward toward whatever's been bitten into. The teeth would only be alongside the flanges after the jaws had closed enough for them to overlap. Does this picture help? http://thealchemyworks.com/images/Thylacosmilus.jpg?osCsid=ah0j2oekriurlkmsjl88bdr1b4Aritê gunê Akasahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03619166885106439477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-21875757764880679422012-01-30T14:36:32.440-06:002012-01-30T14:36:32.440-06:00"ground" = seabed"ground" = seabedMinnesotastanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382888179579245181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-76905056164397023232012-01-30T14:35:56.612-06:002012-01-30T14:35:56.612-06:00That's a good thought. Walruses (and I think ...That's a good thought. Walruses (and I think boars) use their tusks to root in the ground.Minnesotastanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382888179579245181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-86081521031061653942012-01-30T14:32:18.880-06:002012-01-30T14:32:18.880-06:00I think you are going with the assumption that it&...I think you are going with the assumption that it's a meat eater.<br /><br />Many people would assume Gorilla's were also carnivores from the immense size of the animal and large sharp teeth...Rosenoreply@blogger.com