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Carbone, C., Maddox, T., Funston, P.J., Mills, M.G., Grether, G.F. and Van Valkenburgh, B. (2009) Parallels between playbacks and Pleistocene tar seeps suggest sociality in an extinct sabretooth cat, Smilodon. Biology Letters, 5, 81-85. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2008.0526

has been cited by the following article:

• TITLE: Pneumothorax as a predatory goal for the sabertooth cat (Smilodon fatalis)

  AUTHORS: Ted Wilson, Dirk E. Wilson, Jill M. Zimanske

  KEYWORDS: Smilodon fatalis; Sabertooth Cat; Machairodontidae; Pneumothorax

  JOURNAL NAME: Open Journal of Animal Sciences, Vol.3 No.1, January 29, 2013

  ABSTRACT: Smilodon fatalis was a large extinct felid distinguished by their two impressive maxillary canines and surprisingly low canine fracture rates. Previous theories regarding their attack strategy have suggested delivering damage by a bite with their maxillary canines. It has also been previously suggested that the canines could have been used to deliver a non-biting stab with an open jaw. It has been generally hypothesized that the attack was delivered to the neck of their large herbivore prey. Smilodon fatalis could have used their canines in a non-biting stab delivered with a closed jaw for the sole purpose of creating a pneumothorax. Creation of a pneumothorax would maximize immediate attack lethality, and minimize exposure of its canines to fracture.