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Machairodont Clash!

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Description

A rustle in the brush reveals a monster the Floridian Sabrecat (Smilodon [fatalis] floridanus) never saw coming... it is Xenosmilus hodsonae, the Cookie-Cutter Cat. The heavier cat easily overpowers its competition and quickly kills it with a powerful bite to the skull.
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I've been obsessed with Machairodontinae for a while now and after researching Xenosmilus I can't get over how totally WEIRD it was. Compared to other Machairodonts which had stiff, nearly dog-like limbs for running long distances the Cookie-Cutter Cat was built way similar to say, Pantherine cats. It would've ambushed its prey (usually peccaries) and killed them them with its remarkably powerful jaws, a distinctive trait of Homotherine Machairodonts. 

Here I took a more conservative view of Smilodon regarding visible sabres, dunno where I am with that whole debate to be completely honest. Dirk-toothed cats have HUGE teeth and it's a bit funky to restore them with ways to cover their big teeth, but Scimitar-toothed cats (and Xenosmilus) seem to work well. So, I just do not know. Maybe we'll find a frozen/mummified specimen someday and it'll settle the debate once and for all.
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Paleodude's avatar
When your girl give you a hickey but it ain't your girl it's Xenosmilus.