Research overview: the axial skeleton and flexible spine of sabertooth cats

This overview examines the vertebral column and trunk anatomy of machairodont cats and how they contributed to predation. The neck vertebrae of sabertooths are often elongated and bear large attachment surfaces for the powerful muscles thought to drive the head and canines downward during the killing bite. The lumbar region and overall spinal flexibility, meanwhile, inform reconstructions of locomotion and the ability to grapple struggling prey. The survey reviews studies comparing sabertooth axial skeletons with those of living cats, what cervical robustness implies about neck-powered biting, and how differences between dirk- and scimitar-toothed forms in trunk and limb proportions reflect their distinct hunting styles. It highlights the often-overlooked role of the backbone in sabertooth functional anatomy.