A nearly complete skull misidentified in a museum collection is revealed to belong to a very ancient saber-toothed cat, helping scientists better understand how the group evolved in North America. UC Berkeley paleontologist researchers identify the fossil after it sat labeled only as “feline” for decades, according to multiple reports referencing the discovery.
The fossil comes from more than 5 million years ago and provides new anatomical information about early large-fanged cats. By comparing the skull’s features with those of other members of saber-toothed lineages, researchers aim to clarify evolutionary changes over time, including how specialized traits developed long before the group went extinct.
The reports also note that saber-toothed cats ultimately disappear from the fossil record around 10,000 years ago. The newly identified specimen is therefore positioned as evidence for earlier stages of their evolutionary history rather than the last known forms. Researchers describe the find as sparks for new research into the timing and morphological evolution of these predators.
