Dinofelis

Name: Dinofelis ‭(‬Terrible cat‭).
Phonetic: Die-no-fel-is.
Named By: Otto Zdansky‭ ‬-‭ ‬1924.
Synonyms: Therailurus.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Carnivora,‭ ‬Felidae,‭ ‬Metailurini.
Species: D.‭ ‬abeli,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬aronoki,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬barlowi,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬cristata,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬darti,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬diastemata,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬paleoonca,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬petteri,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬piveteaui,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬Langebaanweg,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬Lothagam.
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: The different species range between‭ ‬1.2‭ ‬to up to‭ ‬2.5‭ ‬meters long.‭ ‬Most species seem to be within the‭ ‬1.2‭ ‬and‭ ‬1.9‭ ‬meter mark.
Known locations: Depending upon species,‭ ‬Africa,‭ ‬Eurasia,‭ ‬North America.
Time period: Early Pliocene through to early Pleistocene.‭ ‬Further fossil discoveries point to a potential origin within the Miocene period.
Fossil representation: Many known specimens.

       Whereas Smilodon is without doubt the most famous prehistoric big cat,‭ ‬Dinofelis is the most notorious.‭ ‬This notoriety comes from the long association of Dinofelis hunting and eating early hominids like Homo habilis,‭ ‬Paranthropus and Australopithecus afarensis,‭ ‬thought by some to be an ancestor to modern humans.‭ ‬This predation reveals that Dinofelis was active in Africa,‭ ‬but‭ ‬the various species attributed‭ ‬to the genus are wide ranging with remains being found across Eurasia and as far as North America.
       Dinofelis is often called a‭ ‘‬false sabre-toothed cat‭’ ‬because while its front canines are enlarged beyond a point normally seen in today‭’‬s big cats,‭ ‬they were not as large as the‭ ‘‬true sabre-toothed cats‭’ ‬like Smilodon.‭ ‬The rear teeth however are not very strong at all,‭ ‬something that suggests that Dinofelis was more restricted to eating softer flesh rather than crunching bones.‭ ‬Aside from possibly killing and eating early hominids,‭ ‬Dinofelis is thought to have hunted baboons as well.‭ ‬Other prey items would depend upon the availability of different prey animals in different locations,‭ ‬but Dinofelis also thought to include other mammals,‭ ‬particularly juveniles of those creatures.
       Study of the Dinofelis skeleton has revealed that it was not a runner but an ambush hunter.‭ ‬This means that Dinofelis would have been more comfortable lurking in the undergrowth or pouncing from a tree to take its prey by surprise.‭ ‬The robust build of the skeleton,‭ ‬with special reference to the forelimbs,‭ ‬also indicates that Dinofelis had the muscle to wrestle prey to the ground so that it could use its enlarged canine teeth to inflict a mortal wound without risking dental injuries.