Saber-toothed kitten preserved in ice for 35,000 years

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Found encased in ice in 2020 along the Badyarikha River in the Republic of Sakha, a northeastern region of Russia that borders the East Siberian Sea of the Arctic Ocean, a well-preserved specimen offers a rare opportunity to examine an extinct predator that roamed Eurasia during the Late Pleistocene.

The specimen is a cub with short, thick, and dark brown fur, with longer hair on the back and neck. The front paws are rounded, featuring paws adapted for walking in snow. The claws are sharp and strongly curved, similar to those of modern felines.

A team led by the Borissiak Paleontological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences has identified the frozen saber-toothed cat as belonging to Homotherium latidens. This makes it only the second evidence of H. latidens in the Late Pleistocene of Eurasia, the first being a mandible from the North Sea.

In the study, "Mummy of a juvenile sabre-toothed cat Homotherium latidens from the Upper Pleistocene of Siberia," published in Scientific Reports, researchers conducted radiocarbon dating, detailed morphological and tomographic analyses of the mummified carcass, comparing it to modern lion cubs of similar age.

The remains include the head, anterior body, partial pelvis, and limbs, all encased in ice. Radiocarbon dating places the specimen at approximately 35,471 to 37,019 calibrated years before present.

Estimated to be around three weeks old at death, the Homotherium cub exhibits significant anatomical differences from modern lions, including a more massive neck, elongated forelimbs, smaller ears, and a larger mouth opening.

The shape of the digital pads are adapted for navigating snowy environments, suggesting persistent dwelling in cold climates and hunting strategies that would be very distinct from those of contemporary big cats.

CT scans revealed features characteristic of the Machairodontinae subfamily and the genus Homotherium. The skull shows a pronounced mandibular flange, a short and low coronoid process, and an elevated position of the incisors relative to the cheek teeth row.

The braincase is more swollen compared to that of a modern lion cub, and the zygomatic arches are more widely spaced. Enlarged premaxillary bones house large, cone-shaped incisors forming a convex arch.

Comparative measurements indicate that the Homotherium cub's skull and forelimbs are proportionally larger than those of a similarly aged lion cub, confirming its unique developmental trajectory.

Homotherium latidens roamed across Eurasia, Africa, and the Americas during the Plio-Pleistocene. Historically, most Late Pleistocene fossils of Homotherium have been concentrated in North America, where over thirty localities have yielded specimens traditionally classified under the species H. serum.

Genetic analyses have since revealed that H. latidens from the North Sea is genetically identical to H. serum, consolidating on these classifications under the name H. latidens. The newly discovered mummy significantly broadens the known geographical range of the species and offers invaluable data on its physical characteristics and adaptations.

More information: A. V. Lopatin et al, Mummy of a juvenile sabre-toothed cat Homotherium latidens from the Upper Pleistocene of Siberia, Scientific Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-79546-1

Journal information: Scientific Reports

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