Expert: David Prus - 7/1/2009

Question
Thank you for answering all my questions:
1)Who likely dominated over the other, Quinkana or Megalania??
2)Who likely dominated over the other, Sarkastodon or Andrewsarchus??
3)There is any prehistoric mammalian land carnivore that could defeat Andrewsarchus/Sarkastodon/Megistotherium in a fight??
4)Can you find an image of the skull of Sarkastodon?? what were its adaptations?? How big was it(skull)??
5)What would happen if Megistotheirum was introduced in the Atlas mountains of HISTORICAL times(with lions,bears etc.)??
6)What would happen if Megalania was introduced in Brazil??
7)What would happen if Sarkastodon was introduced in central India??
8)What would happen if Dromornis was introduced in northern Australia(assuming this bird was a carnivore)??
9)What would happen if Majungasaurus was introduced in the African Savannah??

Thank you again.

Answer
1. Hard to tell. Megalania was larger, and Quinkana had armor. I'd say the crocodile, since crocodiles today have more powerful bites and immune systems that are meant to neutralize bacterial infections that the Megalania would use

2. I would say that Sarkastodon was a more formidable against prey animals, but I think it would give ground to Andrewsarchus the way tigers to do bears in Northern Asia.

3. Arctodus, Hyaenodon gigas, Smildon Populator and omnivores like Ursus Spelaeus, Daeodon and Megatherium all have a chance in a fight.

4. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Sarkastodon_scull_AMNH.jpg Very heavy, very powerful, and 53 cm long

5. It would suffer under the pressure of the more intelligent lions and more versatile bears. There's not enough big game. It would eventually try to start hunting livestock and be driven into extinction by angry herders

6. It would be comfortable in the Cerrado region, but would be driven to extinction by human pressure. It is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, and there's not enough game. It would try to eat the local cattle and be exterminated by the farmers.

7. Sarkastodon would do just fine, even though it's not as smart or efficient as the dholes and tigers that it would compete with. It would probably hunt the larger prey like gaur and rhinos in a specialized niche.

8. It would certainly have problems with the dingos in the area; large predatory birds only lay an egg at a time and it would be vulnerable to the smarter, faster teamwork of the dingos. It wouldn't look good.

9. Say goodbye to the local fauna :). They would certainly be able to take on elephants, rhinos, and buffalo. However, it was an ambush predator, and would be unable to keep pace with the zebra and antelope. It would do just as well as it did in its era, but probably be a specialist on large game.

I hope this helps