A Video Review of the New Papo Sabre-Tooth Cat Model
Papo introduced a hand-painted Smilodon model into their “Les Dinosaures” range a few weeks ago. Our team members at Everything Dinosaur, have already written a number of reviews and articles concerning this new replica from the French figure manufacturer. As part of our product review, we have produced this short video that shows this new model and comments on the use of Smilodon fossil material to help re-create this predator from the Pleistocene.
A Video Review of the Papo Smilodon Prehistoric Animal Model
Video credit: Everything Dinosaur
These extinct predators seem to hold a fascination for many people, and no Ice Age tale such as 10,000 BC or indeed the trilogy Ice Age animated films can do without its resident Smilodons or Sabre-toothed cats amongst the cast of characters.
Smilodon Model
There are a number of Smilodon models available, the fine detail on the coat and the attention to anatomical accuracy puts this new Papo Smilodon up there with the best replicas.
To view the range of Papo prehistoric animal figures in stock at Everything Dinosaur, visit the company’s award-winning website: Papo Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.
The morphology of the Papo Smilodon is very wrong. The cat was very stocky and muscular, almost bear like in build. The Papo cat is built like a very slender built modern day cougar. From certain angles, it even looks canine like to me. If one was to look up information from numerous books on this cat all paleontologists are in agreement that Smilodon was extremely stocky with very large shoulder and neck muscles and very thick fore arms…this is not what we see with the Papo Smilodon figurine. The Papo figure is very slender and not so cat like in its face. Also, according to experts and numerous fossil remains, Smilodon”s sabers were knife like in shape with a noticeable curve and quite pointed at the ends (Mojo Smilodon got this perfect). The Papo figure sabers are cone shaped and very blunt almost tusk like looking in appearance.
“anatomical accuracy puts this new Papo Smilodon up there with the best replicas”
Seriously??? I would say that the Papo figurine of Smilodon is the least accurate in morphology of most Smilodon figuries available. I even think it looks more like a dog than a prehistoric cat like Smilodon The Mojo cat Smilodon figure is so vastly superior in every way
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Smilodon’s elongated canine teeth were more vulnerable to fracture than those of modern living felids, making it imperative for them to immobilize prey quickly with their forelimbs when making a kill. As a result, Smilodon had very heavily muscled forelimbs which greatly exceeded those of modern felids. This cat used more of a wrestler style takedown method of prey than what modern cats used.
Smilodon differed from extant felids in its greater ability to subdue prey using the forelimbs. This enhanced forelimb strength was designed to minimize the struggles of prey in order to protect the elongate canines from fracture and position the sabers for a quick stabbing like kill, most likely in the side of the neck. In order for this to be done, Smilodon had to have been very stocky in morphology up front compared to modern living big cats.
This above reference from a paleontologist expert on Smilodon is one of the main reasons I think
the morphology of the skinny Papo figurine is so lousy and inaccurate. The Papo Smilodon figurine is the complete opposite of what we see referenced above, with skinny dog-like forelimbs and a terriblly slender
body type.