Analyis of the forelimb of Felis catus in comparison to Smilodon fatalis

Abstract

Much is known about the anatomy of the domestic cat, and this species is studied extensively as a model of structure and function in anatomy laboratories. Nevertheless, knowledge of the smaller muscles remains unpublished. Musculoskeletal studies of living species permit identification of the corresponding features of extinct animals. This comparative anatomical method was used to expand what is presently known about the forelimb muscles of the saber‐tooth cat Smilodon fatalis. Comparing the forelimb anatomy of the domestic cat to the saber‐tooth was necessary to understand the habits, movement patterns, and hunting strategies of the extinct species. S. fatalis, a dirk‐toothed cat that lived during the Pleistocene, was a deadly ambush predator. This sabercat had a heavy muscular build, making it more powerful when compared with many other cats. Complete, accurate muscle maps have not been published for domestic cats or other felids. The muscle maps of Felis catus that were drawn in this study have proven beneficial for comparison with the extinct saber‐tooth. Using information from the muscle maps created for the domestic cat as a means of comparing relative sizes of muscle scars to the same regions of the corresponding bones of S. fatalis allowed creation of muscle maps for this saber tooth. These maps show that the musculature of F. catus and S. fatalis differ in relative proportions and movement patterns.Grant Funding Source : Undergraduate