Publications by authors named "Benjamin R Witt"
Anat Rec (Hoboken)
June 2024
Article Synopsis
- Masticatory gape and bite force are crucial for understanding the behavior and ecology of Smilodon fatalis, despite ongoing debates about its chewing habits.
- Researchers developed osteological proxies based on modern cats to estimate muscle length, gape, and bite force in S. fatalis.
- Findings suggest that while S. fatalis has a larger angular gape compared to modern felids, its bite force estimates are similar to those of smaller felids; this may indicate a unique predatory strategy involving both canine and carnassial teeth for capturing large prey.
