News in Brief Paleontology

Fossils reveal saber-toothed cats may have pierced rivals’ skulls

The curved canine of one ancient cat fits precisely into a hole left in the skull of another

saber-toothed cat skulls

BIG BITE The juxtaposition of these two fossil skulls shows how a large, curving canine tooth from one saber-toothed cat (Smilodon populator) neatly fits in the fossil skull of another member of the same species. 

N.R. Chimento

By John Pickrell

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