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Dinofelis

Dinofelis is a genus of metailurini that lived in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America approximately 5-1.2 million years ago. Dinofelis is the most plausible ancestor of the prehistoric genus of cat Homotherium.

Dinofelis is known as a "false sabertooth" cat because, instead of true saberteeth, it had what appears to be a cross between long, flat saberteeth and the cone-shaped teeth of the modern-day felines. Dinofelis fossils and bones have been found in South Africa along with those of the baboons that it possibly killed. The fact that Dinofelis is a a large and powerful animal and more stocky than lions (who avoid baboons) has lead scientists to believe that it probably was an efficent primate killer and likely also attacked the early humans with which it co-existed.

Species of Dinofelis:
Dinofelis abeli (China)
Dinofelis barlowi (Africa)
Dinofelis diastemata (Europe)
Dinofelis paleoonca (North America)
Dinofelis piveteaui (South Africa)


Last updated: 10-29-2005 02:13:46