Homotherium

Given that Homotherium species also dwelt in temperate and tropical environments (in Asia homotheres are known as far south as Java), this was clearly a highly adaptable felid.

Archive 2006-03-01 Darren Naish 2006

As described by Jelle Reumer et al. (2003), the jaw is from a Homotherium latidens, and what is especially significant is that radiocarbon analysis dates it to 28,000 years BP.

Archive 2006-03-01 Darren Naish 2006

The late survival of Homotherium confirmed, and the Piltdown cats

Archive 2006-03-01 Darren Naish 2006

Late Pleistocene survival of the saber-toothed cat Homotherium in northwestern Europe.

Archive 2006-03-01 Darren Naish 2006

On a supposed prehistoric representation of the Pleistocene scimitar cat, Homotherium Farbrini, 1890 (Mammalia; Machairodontinae).

Archive 2006-03-01 Darren Naish 2006

Initially interpreted as a representation of a cave lion, it was reinterpreted by Vratislav Mazak (1970) as more likely being a depiction of the sabre-tooth Homotherium latidens (a species sometimes dubbed the scimitar cat).

Archive 2006-03-01 Darren Naish 2006

If the statuette is meant to depict Homotherium, it provides us with some new information on the life appearance of this cat, as it appears to be decorated with small spots, and to have a pale underside.

Archive 2006-03-01 Darren Naish 2006

Homotherium latidens must also have therefore been a cold-tolerant species.

Archive 2006-03-01 Darren Naish 2006

The problem though is that the Isturitz statuette (and other pieces of evidence) is somewhere around 30,000 years old, and the last accepted datum for skeletal material of Homotherium in Europe is 300,000 years BP (Adam 1961) [though see below].

Archive 2006-03-01 Darren Naish 2006

On balance though, Dawkins concluded that the tooth suggested late survival of Homotherium in Britain.

Archive 2006-03-01 Darren Naish 2006