Smilodon

Smilodon ("pencil tooth") (often wrongly called a saber-toothed tiger), was a saber-toothed cat that lived during the Quaternary period (from near the beginning through the very end of the Pleistocene epoch) 2.5 million years—10,000 years ago.

Smilodon lived in North America and South America and was the top predator. Smilodon populator was the largest species of saber-toothed cat. It was much larger than its cousins, Smilodon fatalis and Smilodon gracilis.

Smilodon populator was more than 1.40 m (55 in) high at the shoulder, 2.6 m (100 in) long on average and had a 30 cm (12 in) tail. It weighted 360 to 470 kg (790 to 1,000 lb) and had 30 cm (12 in) long upper canines that protruded up to 17 cm (6.7 in) out of its upper jaw.