Development and eruption sequence of deciduous and permanent teeth in the saber-tooth cat Homotherium serum Cope

ABSTRACT

A sample population from Friesenhahn Cave, Bexar County, Texas, is used to describe the juvenile dentition of Homotherium serum. Analysis of thirteen juvenile dentitions of Homotherium serum Cope results in identification of eight stages in the eruption of deciduous and permanent teeth. These stages permit a direct comparison between Homotherium and modern felid dentitions. The eight stages progressively describe the teeth in terms of eruption and replacement, position, cusp patterns, and degree of wear. Comparisons are made between deciduous and permanent teeth of Homotherium serum to aid in future identifications and to suggest a functional significance. The deciduous dentitions of Homotherium serum and Smilodon floridanus are compared and contrasted. The bimodal age distribution of Homotherium serum is used to suggest that Friesenhahn Cave was a denning cave. Data on the eruption sequences of four modern cats are summarized and compared with Homotherium serum to propose a time-table for the eruption of Homotherium dentition.