Sabertooth Monster Ate... Plants?!!?!?

Galvasean

"It takes some time to believe it when you see this animal,"
Too right! This does not look like a plant eater to me!


Illustration by Juan Cisneros.

That's mad. You can read about the dietary habits of Tiarajudens eccentricus—"the eccentric tooth of the Tiarajú region"here.

Adam Khor

I wrote an article on this beast just yesterday!

It is really not that bizarre that it has saber teeth; quite a few plant eaters today have them, for example the Muntjac, the Musk deer, the Chevrotain and my personal favorite when it comes to sabers, the Vampire deer or Chinese water deer:






The really amazing thing about the Vampire deer is that its saberteeth are loose on their sockets, which means the animal can move them using its facial musculature; for example, when it feeds, it pulls them backwards so that they don´t get in the way; when threatening a rival, it pushes them forwards.
And they are very fierce when cornered, too. I imagine Tiarajudens would be similar; a plant eater that could kill anyone stupid enough to mess with it.

Galvasean

That deer is the single weirdest thing I've seen... today.

Yitzhak Rabin

Galvasean wrote: »

That deer is the single weirdest thing I've seen... today.

For me, its comes second after the pic you just posted in the 'know your lookalikes thread'

Adam Khor

What thread is that? :O

Galvasean

So Adam, I noticed you have not yet hown us your article...

Rubecula

I seem to remember something (If I could just put my finger on it) about giant reptiles (pre dionosaur) that pretty much ruled the planet and had sabre teeth of a sort.

Yes they are famous and right now I seem to have lost the name.

*scratches head in frustration.. Like forgetting the name of T.rex*


Aha the light bulb lights up.:)

I was thinking of pelycosaurs

I think I must be really tired.:D

Adam Khor

They're called gorgonopsids

Rubecula

Adam Khor wrote: »

They're called gorgonopsids

I know:o

I just came back to type that but you got here first:o

I feel so inadequate right now:D