Marsupial Lion | National Geographic

it was well armed with retractable claws

it was well armed with retractable claws on both attends and its feet

on both attends and its feet

on both attends and its feet it’s bum claws were particularly well

it’s bum claws were particularly well

it’s bum claws were particularly well developed some people think of these as

developed some people think of these as

developed some people think of these as actual killing weapons but the marsupial

actual killing weapons but the marsupial

actual killing weapons but the marsupial I’m actually went in and sliced and

I’m actually went in and sliced and

I’m actually went in and sliced and diced its brain opened it up with the

diced its brain opened it up with the

diced its brain opened it up with the claws and that they might then have bled

claws and that they might then have bled

claws and that they might then have bled to death I think that’s pretty unlikely

to death I think that’s pretty unlikely

to death I think that’s pretty unlikely in reality these massive thumb claws I

in reality these massive thumb claws I

in reality these massive thumb claws I think would have been used as grappling

think would have been used as grappling

think would have been used as grappling holes but not everyone agrees that

holes but not everyone agrees that

holes but not everyone agrees that Thaler Kaleo has the ability to be a

Thaler Kaleo has the ability to be a

Thaler Kaleo has the ability to be a lethal killer or to defend itself

lethal killer or to defend itself

lethal killer or to defend itself against human predators one of its

against human predators one of its

against human predators one of its features is especially puzzling

at first look phylla kaleo’s teeth don’t

at first look phylla kaleo’s teeth don’t resemble those of a typical carnivore

resemble those of a typical carnivore

resemble those of a typical carnivore so dr. Roe is putting the creature to

so dr. Roe is putting the creature to

so dr. Roe is putting the creature to the ultimate test he scans a complete

the ultimate test he scans a complete

the ultimate test he scans a complete skull of a small thigh luckily Oh from

skull of a small thigh luckily Oh from

skull of a small thigh luckily Oh from the South Australian Museum then he

the South Australian Museum then he

the South Australian Museum then he sends the data to his colleagues at the

sends the data to his colleagues at the

sends the data to his colleagues at the University of Western Australia using a

University of Western Australia using a

University of Western Australia using a technique known as rapid prototyping

technique known as rapid prototyping

technique known as rapid prototyping they build a full sized cast of the

they build a full sized cast of the

they build a full sized cast of the skull and jaw prototyping uses computer

skull and jaw prototyping uses computer

skull and jaw prototyping uses computer modeling to create paper-thin

modeling to create paper-thin

modeling to create paper-thin cross-sections of the skull a

high-powered co2 laser beam then melts

high-powered co2 laser beam then melts metal powder into each of the thousands

metal powder into each of the thousands

metal powder into each of the thousands of layers until it finally builds a

of layers until it finally builds a

of layers until it finally builds a bronze cast

in collaboration with the University of

in collaboration with the University of Newcastle in New South Wales

Newcastle in New South Wales

Newcastle in New South Wales Doctorow designs a method to estimate

Doctorow designs a method to estimate

Doctorow designs a method to estimate the bite force of the marsupial lion

they conduct a series of experiments

they conduct a series of experiments using computer modeling and a sheep’s

using computer modeling and a sheep’s

using computer modeling and a sheep’s head

first of all we’ve had these large

first of all we’ve had these large incisors at the front penetrate the

incisors at the front penetrate the

incisors at the front penetrate the flesh between those upper and lower

flesh between those upper and lower

flesh between those upper and lower incisors it’s pulled the neck of the

incisors it’s pulled the neck of the

incisors it’s pulled the neck of the animal back into those massive slicing

animal back into those massive slicing

animal back into those massive slicing teeth at the back and this is a

teeth at the back and this is a

teeth at the back and this is a relatively small marsupial on skull the

relatively small marsupial on skull the

relatively small marsupial on skull the bite of even a small phyla Kaleo

bite of even a small phyla Kaleo

bite of even a small phyla Kaleo generates 1,000 pounds of force close to

generates 1,000 pounds of force close to

generates 1,000 pounds of force close to that of a female lion an animal double

that of a female lion an animal double

that of a female lion an animal double its size pound for pound the thigh

its size pound for pound the thigh

its size pound for pound the thigh locally owes bite is nearly twice as

locally owes bite is nearly twice as

locally owes bite is nearly twice as powerful as any big cat today