Saber-Toothed "Tiger" Cub Tooth — Milk Canine

Smilodon fatalis' name appropriately translates to "fatal scalpel tooth".

Amongst the most famous prehistoric animals of all-time, Smilodon is easily the best-known of the Machairodontinae felids, more commonly referred to as saber-toothed tigers. Smilodon, however, was not closely related to modern tigers, but an advanced predator that evolved remarkable killing adaptations not seen in any living feline species. The most distinctive feature in the skull of Smilodon was its elongated, dagger-like upper canines, used to stab and rip open prey.

Current research indicates that Smilodon canines grew at a rate about twice that of extant lions and tigers, reaching full size at about three years of age. Fossils like this cub's milk tooth offer clues to understanding of the development of permanent, full-sized canine teeth in adult saber-toothed cats. This specimen is also a stark reminder of the awesome power of one of the largest cats to ever exist, and the perilously thin line between life and death at the most famous Pleistocene fossil locality in the world.