Reference image · may depict a reconstruction or specimen

JJonahJackalope · Original image & credits · CC BY-SA 4.0

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EXTINCT LIFE

Smilodon

Meet smilodon—one more extraordinary life to discover.

Also known as sabre-toothed cat, saber toothed tiger

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A CLOSER LOOK

A reference overview

Smilodon is a genus of extinct felids. It is one of the best-known saber-toothed predators and prehistoric mammals. Although commonly known as the saber-toothed tiger, it was not closely related to the tiger or other modern cats, belonging to the extinct subfamily Machairodontinae, with an estimated date of divergence from the ancestor of living cats around 20 million years ago.

Overview excerpt from Wikipedia contributors · Smilodon, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Excerpt may be shortened. Overview retrieved 2026-10-09.

KNOW WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT

The evidence behind this discovery

Source-linked

This overview is attributed to Wikipedia contributors and was retrieved on 2026-10-09. Retrieval is not independent scientific review.

Reference media

The picture has a linked creator and license. Extinct-animal images may show a fossil, specimen or reconstruction; a reconstruction is not a photograph of the living animal.

Scope and uncertainty

Map points represent selected regions, not complete ranges or live sightings. References and identifications can change. A linked source is not an expert certification.

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Another extinct discovery

Dodo ↗

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Smilodon

A reference overview

The evidence behind this discovery

Where will this discovery take you?

Dodo ↗

How do fossils become evidence? ↗

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