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Did you know?
The fossils of prehistoric animals during the past 7–12 million years ago can be found entombed in the sediments, including extinct elephants, rhinos, three-toed horses, giraffe-like camels, saber-toothed cats, and bone-crushing dogs.
There are also fascinating small creatures such as ancestral skunks, alligator lizards, and shrews.
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Geology and Paleontology of Red Rock Canyon
Sabertoothed Cat
Upper: A left lower jaw of a sabertoothed cat, Barbourofelis osborni, from the Dove Spring Formation. Its two cheek teeth, together with the upper teeth, form a scissor-like blade suitable for cutting meat. This species is one of the first within the non-feline saber cat lineage to immigrate into North America (from Asia). The Red Rock Canyon species ultimately gave rise to the more powerful Barbourofelis fricki (below), which became extinct in the late Miocene (about 9-7 million years ago). University of California (Berkeley) Museum of Paleontology catalogue number 19479, holotype.
Lower: Barbourofelis fricki from western Nebraska; notice the more expanded flange on the lower jaw, an advanced feature of this terminal species (adopted from Schultz, Schultz, Martin, 1970, figures 2 & 5). |
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Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
900 Exposition Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90007
213 763 DINO
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