Osteomyelitis in the manus of Smilodon populator (Felidae, Machairodontinae) from the Late Pleistocene of South America

LUNA, CARLOS A.; POOL, ROY R.; ERCOLI, MARCOS D.; CHIMENTO, NICOLÁS R.; BARBOSA, FERNANDO H.; ZURITA, ALFREDO E.; CUARANTA, PEDRO

Palaeoworld

Elsevier

Lugar: New York; Año: 2023

1871-174X

The knowledge of the paleopathologies that affected large mammals during thePleistocene of South America has increased in the last years, but most of the reportedcases belong to the endemic clade Xenarthra. On the contrary, almost no case ofdiseases is known among representatives of other clades such as Carnivora. Here wepresent and describe an inflammatory lesion in a left metacarpal IV assigned to the saber tooth Smilodon populator (Felidae) from the Late Pleistocene (ca. 100 ka; MIS5) of Northeastern Argentina. The macroscopic and radiologic analyses revealfeatures consistent with chronic osteomyelitis, which in turn represents the firstaccurate record of an infectious process in a limb of this predator. This injurypresumably caused lameness and loss of toe flexion, and considerably reduced itshunting abilities of this top predator, which used its robust forelimbs, particularlywide forepaws, and powerful back muscles to catch and bring down large prey.