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Description

SUPER UPDATE!

A new, larger skull has been discovered, about 8% longer than the previous specimen I used.

Given that I wanted to overhaul this one, I now had the perfect excuse!

Uses more sources, better posing and a more careful look at felid anatomy than ever before!

Pinged everyone because it corrects quite a bit of erroneous anatomy from before.

ENJOY

----------------------------

(old text)

UPDATED- image quality.

Another one that's been waiting to be released.

Smilodon populator was the largest machairodont- as well as the largest smilodon species ever to have existed. On top of all of this, it may well be the largest ever feline.
Though, a disclaimer. Other prehistoric cats (and in fact, a few exceptionally large modern cats) could actually reach and slightly exceed the 1.2m shoulder height, and could grow quite a bit longer. They also have much bigger, more robust heads. However, they also have leaner and more elongated builds. In contrast to this, Smilodons have much shorter- but vastly thicker bodies and forelimbs. Researchers calculating weights for each cat based on bone structure indicate Smilodon would likely have the most body-mass compared to other felines, and therefore, likely the heaviest and biggest of the feline family (other theorists suggest it weighs roughly the same as the larger felines at 300-400kg- demonstrating a fascinating trend in maximum size-limitation for feline growth).

How I depicted this animal:
1- find a photograph of a Smilodon populator skeleton filmed from the side. Re-adjust the skeleton posture to be original, more alike the upright postures I usually depict (and arguably, more natural)
2- locate the largest measurements I could find on individual bones (this being easy as I can directly compare them to the bones in the photograph). The largest specimen in the scientific literature I looked through suggested the Paris specimen (which I'm pretty certain was the photo I selected to begin with- not that it strictly matters as animals would retain largely consistent proportions).
3- Use my knowledge and extended research of feline muscular anatomy to flesh him out; become shocked when I realize Smilodon's chest and shoulders really ARE that big.
4- Do a bit of research on feline patterns to make sure I'm not going to give him a nonsensical pattern; decide to give him a faded version of my Fatalis pattern.
5- Add fur- checking what climate it lived in (South America, so comparable to a jaguar or possibly cougars).
6- Triple check a few times that everything is in order
7- Finish!

Hope you like it!
PS- if you happen to know of any other specimens that are larger than the Paris specimen- by all means let me know!

Description

SUPER UPDATE!

A new, larger skull has been discovered, about 8% longer than the previous specimen I used.

Given that I wanted to overhaul this one, I now had the perfect excuse!

Uses more sources, better posing and a more careful look at felid anatomy than ever before!

Pinged everyone because it corrects quite a bit of erroneous anatomy from before.

ENJOY

----------------------------

(old text)

UPDATED- image quality.

Another one that's been waiting to be released.

Smilodon populator was the largest machairodont- as well as the largest smilodon species ever to have existed. On top of all of this, it may well be the largest ever feline.
Though, a disclaimer. Other prehistoric cats (and in fact, a few exceptionally large modern cats) could actually reach and slightly exceed the 1.2m shoulder height, and could grow quite a bit longer. They also have much bigger, more robust heads. However, they also have leaner and more elongated builds. In contrast to this, Smilodons have much shorter- but vastly thicker bodies and forelimbs. Researchers calculating weights for each cat based on bone structure indicate Smilodon would likely have the most body-mass compared to other felines, and therefore, likely the heaviest and biggest of the feline family (other theorists suggest it weighs roughly the same as the larger felines at 300-400kg- demonstrating a fascinating trend in maximum size-limitation for feline growth).

How I depicted this animal:
1- find a photograph of a Smilodon populator skeleton filmed from the side. Re-adjust the skeleton posture to be original, more alike the upright postures I usually depict (and arguably, more natural)
2- locate the largest measurements I could find on individual bones (this being easy as I can directly compare them to the bones in the photograph). The largest specimen in the scientific literature I looked through suggested the Paris specimen (which I'm pretty certain was the photo I selected to begin with- not that it strictly matters as animals would retain largely consistent proportions).
3- Use my knowledge and extended research of feline muscular anatomy to flesh him out; become shocked when I realize Smilodon's chest and shoulders really ARE that big.
4- Do a bit of research on feline patterns to make sure I'm not going to give him a nonsensical pattern; decide to give him a faded version of my Fatalis pattern.
5- Add fur- checking what climate it lived in (South America, so comparable to a jaguar or possibly cougars).
6- Triple check a few times that everything is in order
7- Finish!

Hope you like it!
PS- if you happen to know of any other specimens that are larger than the Paris specimen- by all means let me know!