-
Period: 70 BCE to 10 BCE
Years are in millions
-
65 BCE
Miacids
Miacids are a common relative for all felines and dogs. They were forest and tree dwellers, and had a specialized vertebrae that allowed them to do so. This vertebrae most likely lead to there survival, since they were around for about 30 million years (estimate). This type of vertebrae was unique for the time period and set the ground stones for all future felines. -
42 BCE
Saber tooth Cat
The saber tooth cat is a relative to the Miacids. They look similar, with one clear difference. They have giant canine teeth. The teeth sets them apart from their predator and prey, because they used them to slash and kill anything that got in their way. They had a special muscle in their jaw that allowed them to bite much harder then their predecessors. Their jaws could also go to a 90 degree angle, allowing them to bite more. As carnivores, the feline needed a way to be better then their -
42 BCE
Saber tooth cat cont.
competition, so they developed the giant canine teeth. By developing these teeth, they became one of the more feared predators in their time period. They were top cat for over 30 million years. -
25 BCE
Proailurus
Not much is known about the Proailurus. However, what is known from their fossils, is that they were a lot smaller then their ancestors, the Saber Tooth Cat. This was advantageous because like the modern day house cat, they like to stalk and hunt their pray. By having a smaller figure, they were able to climb trees and pounce on their food. When their ancestors migrated to more forest dense areas, they had to adapt. By becoming smaller, they were more fit to survive. -
14 BCE
Modern Tigers: Begnal
The Bengal tiger lives throughout most of Asia. It has strong legs that can reach speeds up to 60 mph, which allows them to catch prey if they try to run. The tiger is also very large, and has a lot of muscle, making it top predator in it's habitat. The white tiger comes from a genetic mutation in the bengal tiger, and there are no clear benefits to it. -
12 BCE
Modern Tiger: Sumatran
The Sumatran ancestors migrated to south East Asia.. Due to rising sea levels, the tiger has some differences compared to it's cousins. Sumatra is very swampy, so the tiger developed webbed feet to help swim and catch it's prey. It's also very jungly, so the tiger became smaller to have better movement. With all of these evolutionary advantages, the tiger has no natural predator. However, they are dying out due to human contact, something evolution is not quick enough to fix. -
1 BCE
Works Cited
