Research overview: sexual dimorphism in big cat skulls and canines

In several big cats, males have larger, more robust skulls and stouter canines than females, and this overview reviews the patterns and their likely drivers. Such dimorphism is often linked to male-male competition, territorial defence, and differences in prey use, with the lion among the more dimorphic species. Researchers quantify skull and canine differences with morphometrics and relate them to social system and mating competition. Why it matters: cranial dimorphism connects skull morphology to behaviour and ecology, showing that bite anatomy is shaped not only by feeding but by social selection. It also matters practically for identifying sex from skeletal remains and for interpreting variation that might otherwise be mistaken for differences between species.