This classic painting of dire wolves contesting a carcass with a saber-tooth may give the wrong impression. A new study suggests their diets didn’t overlap as much as previously thought.
A new study analyzing the isotopic chemistry of tooth enamel from carnivores excavated from the La Brea Tar Pits determined there was not as much overlap in the diets of saber-toothed cats and dire wolves as previously thought. An earlier study examined the isotopic chemistry from bone collagen of La Brea carnivores, and the results of that study suggested the big 3 carnivores (saber-tooths, dire wolves, and giant lions– Panthera atrox) competed for the same prey items. However, bone collagen can decay and become contaminated, altering the accuracy of the results. Tooth enamel is more durable, and scientists believe it provides more accurate results. This new study concluded both saber-tooths and giant lions were ambush predators that lived in woodlands or forests and fed upon forest-dwelling herbivores such as deer, tapir, and woodland bison. Dire wolves and coyotes (Canis latrans) lived in more open environments and chased down horses, camels, and plains bison. The diet of saber-tooths, giant lions, and Pleistocene cougars (Puma concolor) resulted in mathmatical values of isotopic bone chemistry identical to those of modern cougars. The diet of coyotes changed over time. During the Pleistocene coyotes scavenged meat from megafauna. Following the extinction of the Pleistocene megafauna, coyotes evolved toward a reduced size and fed more on bone, smaller animals, and even fruit. The diets of timber wolves (Canis lupus) and cougars did not change following the extinction of Pleistocene megafauna.
The results of this study did not surprise me. Saber-tooths and giant lions were built for ambushing prey in the cover of thick vegetative growth found more in woodlands than grasslands. So of course it makes sense they preyed upon animals in those environments.
Reference:
Desantis, L; et al
“Causes and Consequences of Pleistocene Megafauna Extinction as Revealed from Ranch La Brea Mammals”
Current Biology 29 (15) 2019
Tags: coyote, dire wolf, giant lion, Pleistocene cougar, saber-tooth
GeorgiaBeforePeople 
August 10, 2019 at 3:37 pm |
Keep hiking, writing…thinking of overlaps..and extension ideas. Genius..floats up..when people do that! 🙂 ina