Kings of beasts and top dogs: estimating body masses (and lifestyles) of largest terrestrial mammalian predators

<p dir="ltr">Maximal body masses attained by the largest extinct species of Felinae, Smilodontini, Homotherini, <i>Homotherium</i> (Machairodontinae) (Felidae), Barbourofelini, Hoplophoninae (Nimravidae), Hyaenidae, Borophaginae, Caninae (Canidae), Hemicyoninae (Ursidae), Daphoeninae, Amphicyoninae (Amphicyonidae) (Carnivora), Hyaenodonta, Oxyaenodonta, Mesonychia, Thylacosmilidae, Proborhyaenidae (Sparassodonta) are estimated by isometric scaling from a single extant species.

Body mass estimates support previously proposed hypothesis that increase with increasing body mass in the stress, set up in the humerus by the bending moment of the peak ground reaction force at maximal running speed, imposed a biomechanical constraint on maximal body mass in many lineages of terrestrial mammalian predators.</p>